Dementia is often confused with Alzheimer’s disease. However, they are different conditions. Dementia describes a set of symptoms of memory loss. This is not a disease, but a condition that affects the behaviour of people. Alzheimer’s is a disease, however, a neurodegenerative one that impacts the cells in the brain and can lead to dementia.
1. Memory loss
is not the only symptom of dementia
There are
several dementia types, including dementia with Lewy bodies, vascular and
frontotemporal. All of them provide a range of symptoms. The behavioural
impacts depend on the area of the brain that has been affected. The initial
stage is difficult to diagnose, as they include things like forgetfulness,
problems with concentration, mood swings and struggling to find the correct
word during conversations.
2. Each type of
dementia has slightly different symptoms
As mentioned
earlier, Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. Some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s are
forgetfulness with the names of places, difficulty with organization and social
withdrawal. Those suffering with vascular dementia experience movement
problems, difficulty with focusing, muscle weakness and depression.
3. Dementia
does not affect every older person
Not only is it
does not affect everyone in older age, but there are ways to prevent it. A
healthy lifestyle and a sufficient amount of exercise can greatly contribute to
people’s welfare. It is true that if you are older, you are more likely to
develop dementia, but you do not have to be affected by the condition.
Genes can cause
some rarer forms of dementia, however, such as Huntington’s disease. What can
you do to stay fit and healthy for as long as possible? Try to get a healthy
amount of physical activity, even at an older age. It’s probably a good idea to
join a few aerobics class or go for a walk when the weather is warm.
4. The
behaviour of common dementia
People with dementia can behave in different ways. They sometimes can put themselves in danger. This is because of their declining ability to reason. They may be physically or verbally aggressive, behaving in an inappropriate manner or repeating certain phrases and expressions. Find out about dementia care at Dementia Care Homes Taunton.
All these
changes are determined by the damage caused in their brains. People with
dementia may want to leave the house at night, have hallucinations or pain. It
is necessary to soothe them when they become aggressive. If you manage to
identify what causes certain behaviour, you can remove them so that the
situation does not happen again.
5. Dementia
care
Professionally
trained caregivers are individuals who know how to treat people with different
conditions, including dementia. There are different types of treatments
available in Care homes in Somerset. For more information on Dementia Care
Homes Taunton, visit a site like Notaro.
Carers offer
physical and emotional support. There is also ample care available for times
when family support is difficult as you cannot be around all the time. There
might be other family care commitments, work responsibilities or you just want
to go on holiday and this is where round-the-clock care can be life-changing.