Consider the following: You go shopping and park your car. Your mind is focused on your shopping tasks. What stores you need to visit and what purchases you need to make. Perhaps you’re in a hurry. The car is finally parked and you rush into the shopping centre.

A few hours later, exhausted and arms full of purchases, you exit the door you entered, look out into the crowded parking lot...and draw a blank. “Where did I park my car?” You look in all directions. You frantically search your mind and come up empty. Do you look foolish and go out hunting for your elusive vehicle? Or do you go back in the store, sit down and think some more.

This scenario has played out for many people. The first thought for many of us is, “Is this the first sign of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease?” Many of us will hit the internet and read up on both.

So what is dementia? What is Alzheimer’s disease? Are they one in the same? The answer is both yes and no.

What is Dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term describing changes in mental function that make daily activities difficult. A group of cognitive symptoms are common to people with dementia:

• decline in memory and reasoning skills
• increased confusion
• loss of visual and spatial skills
• difficulties organizing thoughts

A number of behavioural symptoms are also common to people with dementia:

• crankiness
• agitation
• lack of self-control
• poor judgement
• wandering

Finally, there are a number of psychological symptoms common in dementia:

• restlessness
• withdrawal
• mood swings
• depression
• hallucinations
• delusions

Causes of Dementia

Dementia can have one cause or many. Parkinson’s disease, Lewy Body Dementia, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease will cause progressively worsening dementia symptoms in patients. Mineral and vitamin deficiencies and drug interactions can cause temporary dementia that can be reversed with proper treatment.

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia. It actually accounts for about 60% of dementia cases in seniors. It is a degenerative, irreversible brain disease that follows cell damage. There are two changes thought to cause this disease – plaques and tangles.

Plaques are deposits of protein fragments called beta-amyloid that build up in the spaces between nerve cells.

Tangles are also protein but are twisted fibres called tau that build up inside of nerve cells.

Both of these abnormal deposits are thought to block communication between nerve cells. Life processes are disrupted and eventually brain cells die.

Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

Early stages of Alzheimer’s are due to the increasing lack of communication between nerve cells. A person will experience more difficulties remembering new information. This disease seems to affect the hippocampus, the brain region which is the centre of learning and memory.  The brain cells in this region are often the first to be damaged. A person at this stage can still function at work and live comfortably at home.

As the disease progresses symptoms continue to worsen. Disorientation and confusion make day to day living harder. Behavioural changes become much more pronounced and more assistance is required for daily tasks and management of household matters like finances and food preparation.

Eventually, cell death leads to difficulties speaking and swallowing. Walking becomes difficult. At this point family members will likely require outside help to manage their loved one’s increasing care needs.

So What’s the Difference?

Alzheimer’s disease is a fatal condition that always comes with dementia, but dementia isn’t always caused by Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is caused by specific protein deposits in and around brain cells. Other forms of dementia are caused by brain damage, some strokes or genetic diseases like Huntington’s chorea. Often people will suffer from dementia symptoms that have more than one underlying cause.

Risk factors for most forms of dementia include family history and genetics. These factors can’t be changed. Risk factors like smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise can be changed for the better to reduce the risk of acquiring dementia of any kind. Constantly challenging your brain is also a positive exercise to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Are Alzheimer’s and Other Dementia Illnesses Inevitable?

Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, is not a normal part of aging. While most seniors experience some forms of memory loss and mild cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s are not inevitable. Many seniors live well into their 90’s with high cognitive functioning.

Preparation, however, is Key

Preparation for dealing with all forms of dementia is vital. It is hard to say who will get it and who will not. Seniors that have a strong social network are less likely to suffer and if symptoms begin they will be recognized sooner. There are drug therapies that can slow the progression but early diagnosis is vital to prolonging a productive life.

Get a cognitive test done as soon as you suspect your loved one is showing signs of mental decline. Having a baseline cognitive test is so helpful in determining how fast changes are happening.

If dementia is diagnosed, prepare a care plan in advance of severe decline. At some point you will need outside help to cope with the changing symptoms your loved one is experiencing.  Having the person affected be part of the discussion early will make it so much easier when difficult decisions need to be made.

Do I Have Dementia?

So...are you suffering from dementia because you can’t remember where you parked your car in a crowded parking lot? Likely not. When your mind is focussed on shopping you often park and walk away without paying attention to exactly where you are. If you can pick out a landmark when you park and then remember where you left your car, you can rest assured you don’t have dementia… at least for now.

Remember, help is out there if you or a loved one show real signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. LiveWell Pathway can professionally address all of your concerns and help provide a care plan.

See our website for the excellent services we offer to help you navigate the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.