The statistics that surround dementia are staggering with more than 36 million people worldwide living with the condition. Without a major medical breakthrough, this figure could rise well above 100 million by the time we reach the year 2050. Let us make understanding dementia easier through the article below. If you are looking for quality memory care in Spartanburg, reach out to TerraBella Spartanburg today to learn more about our senior living options.
Understanding Dementia in Seniors
Dementia is not part of normal aging. It is a progressive decline of a person’s thinking skills and memory that can impact their ability to perform their daily activities that can include cooking, driving, managing finances, working, and more. Dementia can affect various aspects of a person’s body including language, memory, behavior, planning, and memory. Knowing the early warning signs of dementia can help you better identify the condition in a loved one.
Warning Signs of Dementia in Seniors
- A person with dementia may start to forget about significant events or dates and ask for the same piece of information to be repeated several times.
- A person with dementia may find it difficult to keep up with their monthly bills or follow a familiar recipe. They also have trouble concentrating, taking much longer to complete tasks like before.
- A person with dementia may get lost while driving to a familiar location, find it hard to remember the rules of a game they have always played, or manage a budget and other finances.
- A person may become confused about meal times, asking for lunch at night and dinner in the afternoon. They may also find it difficult to get back home or head to a place that they were once familiar with.
- A person with dementia may experience difficulty in naming objects or finding the right word. They may also find it hard to join or follow a conversation and may stop abruptly in the middle of a sentence as they have no clue as to how to continue.
Common Types of Dementia in Seniors
There are many types of dementia and each one has its own symptoms and requires different levels of care. Hence, it is essential for family members to learn about the different kinds of dementia to identify the correct type.
Common Types of Dementia
- Alzheimer’s Disease: This is the most common type of dementia that has a deceptive onset. It is a progressive condition with symptoms that deteriorate over time. Alzheimer’s disease can be reversed and the condition impairs thinking skills and memory while also eventually affecting the ability to carry out daily tasks such as eating, bathing, and others.
- Vascular Dementia: This condition is caused by illness or damaged blood vessels found in the brain. Its onset may be abrupt and its symptoms vary depending on the size and location of the injury.
- Lewy Body Dementia: This condition has the features of Parkinson’s disease which include rigid muscles, tremors, slowness, and vivid visual hallucinations. Other significant symptoms can range from organization and attention to planning and problem-solving.
