People tend to group everyone with memory issues as having Alzheimer’s disease, but that’s not necessarily the case. 

The distinction might not seem important to someone who isn’t affected by a cognitive impairment, but how they are managed medically does vary, so an accurate diagnosis is important.

Are Alzheimer’s disease and dementia the same?

The first thing you need to know is that Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia are not one and the same.

Dementia is classified as a syndrome. Dementia is characterized by a grouping of symptoms that affect a person’s cognitive abilities, including memory, logical thinking, problem solving and reasoning. So, think of dementia as the umbrella under which other specific mental and cognitive diseases and disorders are classified, including Alzheimer’s. In other words, a person could suffer from dementia and not have Alzheimer’s, however every Alzheimer’s patient can be classified as having dementia.

What other cognitive disorders are included under the umbrella of dementia?

There are many, but here’s a short list:

  • Huntington’s disease
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
  • Lewy body dementia
  • Vascular dementia

The likely reason that people generally associate Alzheimer’s and dementia as being one and the same is because Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of cognitive impairment in seniors.

How common is Alzheimer’s disease?

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.8 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s, with a new case developing every 65 seconds. This translates into health care costs topping $290 billion dollars. Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the US and 1 in 3 seniors dies with some level of Alzheimer’s, or another form of dementia.

These sound like scary numbers, and there’s no denying that they are. But more can be done to ensure that seniors don’t suffer without appropriate care. Currently, only 16% of American seniors are routinely assessed for cognitive issues during routine health examinations. While preventive care isn’t really in the offing, there is a lot that can be done to mitigate the disease and its symptoms, if it’s discovered earlier.

What exactly IS Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia that is characterized by the brain being physically altered by plaques and the bundling of neural fibers, known as tangles. These precipitate a loss of neural connections, which means that messages going from the brain to other parts of the body—muscles and organs, as well as other parts of the brain— are hindered if not eliminated. This destruction of brain tissue can begin a full decade before symptoms begin to appear.

The problem for diagnosing Alzheimer’s is that there is no clear cut test. The original discovery of the disease, in 1906, was accomplished only during a postmortem examination of a woman’s brain who had been diagnosed with mental illness after having symptoms like memory loss, language difficulties and strange, atypical behavior.

To this day, the disease is diagnosed mostly symptomatically, though there is a genetic component as well as markers that researchers are studying to see if there is a way to identify the disease earlier and with greater certainty. Brain imaging scans can also help eliminate other diseases as the cause of the symptoms.

Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease

The stages and various behaviors associated with Alzheimer’s do vary from person to person, in terms of how quickly they are affected and to what extent, but if you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, you should be aware of these:

In the early stage, post diagnosis, the function of a caregiver is to support the individual and help them to accept the reality of the situation. The key is to make sure that the individual is safe in everything they do. Opening up a dialogue about how much help they are willing to accept at this stage and at what point you will feel it necessary to intervene is a difficult but important conversation.

Focus help on allowing them as much independence as possible by leveraging tools that make it possible for them to remain organized and remember what they need. Emotions are probably running high for them at this point, as they deal with the diagnosis. They might be wandering, getting confused or lost when out of the house, repeating themselves a lot, and exhibiting other personality changes.

In the middle stage, everyday tasks become more difficult for the affected person. Everything from communicating coherently to following a conversation or instruction, to  basics like bathing, will become harder. Your loved one may react to these problems with frustration or even anger.

It’s at this point that routine becomes very important, as some days will be better than others in terms of their cognition, and repetition and routine can make activities less stressful. At this stage, memory loss and confusion are more pronounced, and stress is increased in new and unfamiliar situations. Delusions and even paranoia aren’t uncommon at this stage.

In the late stage of the disease, a lot more care is required, from basic hygiene to eating and moving about. The ability to communicate all but shuts down. It’s at this stage that the affected person will need full time care but you can enhance their quality of life in many ways. For example, a person who loved music their whole life may be soothed by hearing their favorite pieces. Their favorite foods, books and even scents, like a lotion they always use, can enhance their life. 

From the point of view of the caregiver, the key is to limit frustration and not take the behaviors of anger personally. They aren’t meant to be but it can, over time, become overwhelming. 

“Nearly half of all caregivers who provide help to older adults do so for someone living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.” (Source)

In one third of the cases, the caregiver is the spouse or themselves a senior, and another third are represented by children providing caregiving, with a quarter of those being from the sandwich generation (that is, they’re simultaneously caring for their parents and young children). 

The issue is that caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia is taxing. It takes a heavy toll on the caregivers, particularly those that are older or already stretched by caring for young children.

“Compared with caregivers of people without dementia, twice as many caregivers of those with dementia indicate substantial emotional, financial and physical difficulties.” (Same source as above)

Finding some qualified help to assist you in caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia, whether on a regular basis or as respite care, is easier than you might think! It’s essential for caregivers to get a break and have a life of their own and that’s where services like ours can help. Call us for a consultation: we’ve got your back! 470-260-4137.