Dementia is the fastest growing major cause of disability globally, and with no cure, the focus of attention in dementia care is to promote patient wellbeing and to maintain optimal quality of life. Dementia patients require long-term care and support (which is mostly given by informal caregivers including family members, friends and neighbours) and an early diagnosis can help people to plan ahead and to make important decisions about care and support needs.

An early diagnosis and access to the right services and support can help people to take control of their condition, plan for their future, and live well with dementia. An early diagnosis can give a person the opportunity to talk to family and friends about the changes happening in their life. From a practical perspective, a person with an early diagnosis of dementia is given a chance to review their financial situation and discuss with family or legal experts arrangements such as lasting power of attorney or an advance decision.

Diagnosing dementia

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning - thinking, remembering and reasoning - to an extent in which it impacts everyday life. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, through to depending completely on others for basic activities of living. It’s most commonly associated with memory loss, however, dementia can also affect speech, emotional control, behaviour and mobility.

The early signs of dementia are very subtle and may not be immediately obvious. They can include:

• Difficulty remembering things, particularly recent events
• Confusion
• Apathy and withdrawal
• Personality change
• Difficulty performing familiar tasks
• Problems with language and finding the right words
• Disorientation of time and place
• Poor judgement of risk
• Challenges with abstract thinking such as managing finances
• Misplacing things
• Getting lost in a familiar neighbourhood
• Passiveness and lack of drive to be social

These signs for some can be nothing more than a sign of growing older, but don’t let these signs go unnoticed or unchecked. Consult a doctor early and request a complete medical and psychological assessment. Some dementia-like symptoms can also be a sign of stroke, depression, infection, hormone disorders, alcoholism, nutritional deficiencies and tumours. Consulting a doctor is critical, and we now know that dementia is a disease symptom, and not a ‘normal’ part of ageing. Dementia can be prevented.

Common types of dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term for a number of different neurological conditions. The term ‘younger onset dementia’ is used to describe any form of dementia diagnosed in people under the age of 65. You can learn more about younger onset dementia here.

Learning about the different types of dementia can empower individuals, families and their carers to know what they are up against.

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzeimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and is an effect of the brain’s neurons being disrupted. A decrease in chemicals stops messages from travelling normally through to the brain and over time, a person’s ability to think, remember, walk, talk and behave as they once did deteriorates.

Anyone can develop Alzheimer’s disease, but it’s most common in older age. Genetics, lifestyle and health factors can increase risk and can contribute to the development and speed in which Alzheimer’s progresses. Medications can help to stabilise the progression of the disease and other lifestyle changes can be beneficial. This includes:

• Regular physical activity
• Stimulating mental exercises (such as puzzles)
• Weight loss
• Not smoking
• Reduced cholesterol and blood pressure

Family history is an important risk factor, as having a first-degree relative with Alzheimer’s disease increases the risk of developing it by 10 to 30%.

Lewy body dementia

In addition to symptoms like memory loss, people with Lewy body dementia may have movement or balance problems like stiffness or trembling. Daytime sleepiness, confusion and staring spells can be common, and some may also experience difficulty sleeping at night and visual hallucinations.

Vascular dementia

About 10% of dementia cases are linked to strokes and other blood flow issues that restrict blood flow in the brain. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are other risk factors. Changes in skills and abilities are significant enough to interfere with daily social and work functioning and symptoms can get worse with more strokes or mini strokes.

Fronto-temporal dementia

This type of dementia can often result in significant behaviour change because of the part of the brain that’s impacted. Some people may have difficulty controlling behaviour and can find themselves saying inappropriate things or ignoring other people’s feelings. Fronto-temporal dementia is caused by a large build up of protein within the brain, causing the brain to shrink.

Alcohol-related dementia

As the name suggests, alcohol-related dementia is caused by excessive drinking of alcohol. Parts of the brain may suffer damage through vitamin deficiencies, particularly marked levels of thiamine deficiency and the direct effect that alcohol has on the absorption and use of thiamine. Generally symptoms will include impaired ability to learn things, problems with clear and logical thinking, difficulties with balance and decreased initiative.

The difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

A common question asked is ‘what is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?’. As you see from above, it’s not a case of difference, it’s a case of dementia being a general term and Alzheimer’s disease being a specific disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, which describes a decline in mental ability.

Dementia describes a group of symptoms and many different types of dementia exist. Many conditions can cause dementia too, so do you research. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing and there are things you can do to help prevent it. At the very least, you can diagnose it early and put the right measures in place for continued quality of life.