Dementia is the general term and Alzheimer’s is a specific brain disease
60-80% of dementia cases are Alzheimer’s
There are many diseases or illnesses one may face as they get older the most common being:
Cardiovascular disease
Cancer
Dementia and alzheimer’s
It can be hard to not want to treat your loved ones or patients differently when they are faced with any of these. It is important to remember though that they continue to be human still. No matter the disease or illness all humans should be treated the same.
In today’s blog we are going to focus on what to do when someone faces dementia and Alzheimer’s. To start out with, it is important to know the difference. Dementia is the umbrella term for the loss of memory while Alzeihmer’s is a specific disease that people face, 60-80% of dementia cases are Alzheimer’s. This specific disease is a progressive disease, meaning it develops gradually or in stages and causes the person to have part of their memory destroyed. Cells in your brain begin to die and your brain is not able to function in the proper way that it should. When this happens you will begin to see signs of: forgetfulness, decreased independence, severe symptoms, and many other things begin to happen with ones body.
A quote says “Dementia does not rob someone of their dignity it’s our reaction that does”
Therefore, though someone may be dealing with Alzheimer’s it does not mean that they no longer exist. You may begin to see some of their old ways begin to die, but they themselves are still alive. They still have many emotions, experiences, and have a personality, but now just have a roadblock sometimes. As a caregiver or family member of someone with any forms of dementia or Alzheimer’s you must continue to treat the person as the human that they are. Spend time with them, though you may need a little more patience. Have normal conversations with them. Share your life with them. Do not halt their life by diminishing their value.
Caring for a loved one with dementia can be challenging. The Superior Aging Care team is here to help each step of the way. To learn how our care management services can aid family caregivers in finding the care and assistance their loved one needs, give us a call at (949) 566-1871 or reach out to us online.
