DID YOU KNOW?

Dementia

A general term for a range of brain conditions that cause a loss of cognitive function, such as thinking, remembering, and reasoning. It's not a normal part of aging, but it's more common as people get older. By the age of 85 you have a 50/50 likelihood of developing dementia. There are more than 100 types of dementia.

Symptoms

Memory loss ~ confusion ~ difficulty solving problems ~ trouble finding words ~ difficulty performing familiar tasks ~ misjudging distances ~ getting lost in familiar places ~ forgetting names of loved ones

Causes

Strokes ~ atherosclerosis ~ Alzheimer's disease ~ head trauma ~ CTE ~ vascular dementia ~ Lewy body dementias ~African American's are 2x as likely to develop dementia

Progression

Symptoms start mild and worsen over time ~ depending on the dementia diagnosis time to death can be as little as 2 years but usually 8-10

Treatment

Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-70% of all dementia cases and has a life-span of 3-11 years.

Alzheimer's disease facts:

Usually affects persons 65 years old and older but symptoms can be seen in the 60's and affects women more than men
You have a 10-30% higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer's Disease (AD) if you have a first degree family history (parents/siblings)
Is a progressive disease which takes a person back in time (Twice a child and once an adult)
They lose the ability to hold or follow a conversation
Individuals living with Alzheimer’s may experience mood or personality changes. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or when out of their comfort zone

Vascular Dementia accounts for 10-20% of all dementia cases and has a life span of about 5 years.

Vascular Dementia facts:

Usually affects persons 65 years old and older and affects men at a slightly higher rate
People with vascular dementia are more likely to die from a stroke or heart attack than from the dementia itself
Lifestyle choices are the highest risk factor
Only a minor risk factor for family tendency
Changes in personality, behavior, and mood, such as depression, agitation, and anger. Hallucinations or delusions, poor judgment and loss of ability to perceive danger
May appear suddenly after a stroke or heart attack

Frontotemporal Dementia accounts for 10-20% of all dementia cases and has a life span of 6-8 years.

Frontotemporal Dementia facts:

Usually affects persons 40-65 years old and affects men and women equally
The left side of the brain is normally affected causing issues with language and reasoning skills as well as inability to stop inappropriate behavior. Eventually loss of speech happens
There are 10-15 of every 100 cases that has a familial gene. If a parent has the gene, the child has a 50/50 chance of receiving that gene
In later stages, patients develop movement disorders such as unsteadiness, rigidity, slowness, twitches, muscle weakness or difficulty swallowing
When the onset is in younger persons, the FTD may be confused with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

Lewy Bodies Dementia accounts for 5% of all dementia cases and has a life span of 5-8 years, but can range from 2-20 years

Lewy Body Dementia facts:

Usually affects persons age 50 and older and more men than women
Visual and auditory hallucinations as well as changes in concentration, attention, alertness, and wakefulness
Anxiety. Agitation, restlessness or aggression. Delusions, paranoia are hallmark symptoms
In the late stages, muscle weakness may affect swallowing ability. This can lead to aspirating food or liquid, resulting in pneumonia, a common cause of death in advanced dementia