If you have a family member or friend who is affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s, here we offer a brief introduction to the difference between these two related conditions.
Put very simply, dementia is not a disease in itself but an umbrella term used to describe a group of symptoms that occur when brain cells stop working properly, which can then affect how a person thinks, remembers, behaves and communicates.
Alzheimer’s disease, on the other hand, is the most common cause of dementia. The term Alzheimer’s is used to describe the physical disease that damages brain cells, and is also used to describe the type of dementia the disease causes.
What is dementia?
Dementia can be caused by different diseases that damage the brain and covers a group of symptoms that include memory loss, confusion and needing help with daily tasks, problems with language and understanding, and changes in behaviour.
Dementia is progressive, meaning that symptoms may be relatively mild at first but get worse later on.
The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. (About two out of three people living with dementia in the UK have Alzheimer’s disease.)
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a physical illness that damages a person’s brain. Alzheimer’s starts years before symptoms begin to show, and then mild symptoms early on that don’t prevent someone from doing everyday activities by themselves. These early symptoms are called mild cognitive impairment.
In the early stages it can be difficult to know for sure that a person’s symptoms are being caused by Alzheimer’s disease, as they could have many other causes.
If Alzheimer’s disease is the cause, the symptoms will worsen over time and the person will need increasing support with everyday living. For most people, Alzheimer’s disease starts in and around the part of the brain involved in memory.
What causes Alzheimer’s disease?
The causes of Alzheimer’s disease are complex, but involve the build-up of substances in the brain called amyloid and tau. These can clump up and form tiny structures called plaques and tangles, making it harder for the brain to work properly.
If these problems make it difficult for the person to do everyday tasks, this is called dementia.
Other types of dementia.
Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia, caused by problems with the blood supply to parts of the brain.
Lewy body dementia is a result of tiny clumps of protein called Lewy bodies that build up in the brain, leading to Lewy body disease. There are two main types:
- Dementia with Lewy bodies. When the first signs of Lewy body disease are symptoms of dementia, this is known as dementia with Lewy bodies.
- Parkinson’s disease dementia. Lewy body disease can also cause Parkinson’s disease, which mostly involves problems with movement but can also lead to dementia several years later. If it does, this is known as Parkinson’s disease dementia.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care at Fairmile Grange.
Dementia is not a natural part of ageing, though the chance of developing dementia increases significantly with age. Because the condition damages different areas of the brain and leads to a variety of challenging symptoms, every person’s experience of dementia is unique to the individual.
For that reason the most important aspect of dementia care is that it should be personal to the individual. As part of this approach our home is designed around dedicated dementia support not only to help those with dementia to live well, but so they also feel comfortable and at home.
If you would like to take a look at our rooms, facilities and grounds here at Fairmile Grange, you can book an appointment here.
