Dementia is a broad term that describes a loss of thinking ability, memory, attention, logical reasoning, and other mental abilities, wrote Dr. Smith Brandari of www.webmd.com.  “These changes are severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functioning.”

Dementia is not a disease.  Instead, it’s a group of systems caused by other conditions.  Many things can cause dementia.  It happens when the parts of the brain used for learning, memory, decision making, and languages are damaged or diseased. About 5 – 8 percent of adults over age 65 (me) have some form of dementia.  The percentage doubles every five years after age 65.  As many as half of the people in their 80’s has some dementia.  Additionally, there are as many as 50 causes of the disease, Alzheimer’s being number 1.   All diseases may improve with treatment, but MOST DISEASES THAT CAUSE DEMENTIA ARE NOT CURABLE!  Dementia usually gets worse over time.

These forms of the disease are not reversable nor curable:

·     Alzheimer’s disease (It is NOT pronounced Old Timers disease!!!)  The correct pronunciation is ALZ-HEIM-ERS disease).

·     Vascular dementia.

·     Parkinson’s disease dementia.

·     Dementia with Lewy bodies.

·     Frontotemporal dementia (Pick’s) disease.

·     Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (Google it).

According to the writings of Dr. Brandari,

“Many things can cause dementia.  It happens when the part of your brain used for learning, memory, or decision making, is damaged or decreased.  Also, the risk factors for dementia include: 

·     Certain physical and lifestyle factors that can raise your chances of dementia:

·     Age (65 or older).

·     Dementia in your family.

·     Illnesses including diabetes, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and sleep apnea.

·     Depression and anxiety, including seasonal depression.

·     Smoking, heavy alcohol use, poor diet, and lack of any exercise.

·     Brain injury.

·     Strokes.

·     Infection of the brain, such as meningitis and syphilis.

The physician’s synopsis reads, “People with dementia have problems with thinking and remembering that affects their ability to manage their daily life.”

These are some signs to look for:

·     Short-term memory problems, like forgetting where you put something, or asking the same question over and over.  (I do this now!)

·     Communication problems, like not being able to come up with a word.

·     Getting lost while running around.

·     Trouble with complex but familiar tasks, like paying bills or preparing a meal.

·     Personality changes.  Calm too angry.

Of utmost importance are the various stages of dementia.  They include:

·     No impairment.  Shows no symptoms.

·     Very mild decline.  Shows slight behavior changes.

·     Mild decline.  Shows more changes in thinking and reasoning, trouble making plans, and difficult to remember recent events.

·     Moderate decline.  Major problems with remembering and making plans.

·     Moderately severe decline.  May not remember grandchildren’s names, phone number, address, age, etc.

·     Severe decline.  Need help eating and going to restroom, and forgets name of spouse.

·     Very severe decline.  Can no longer walk, talk and will spend all their time in bed.

An addendum question from www.usagainstalzheimers.com.  

What not to say to a person who has been diagnosed with dementia:

·     Don’t tell them they are wrong about something.

·     Don’t argue with them.

·     Don’t ask them if they remember something.

·     Don’t remind them of a close family member’s or friends’ death.

·     Don’t bring up topics that may upset them.  (Money seems to be a priority topic.)

“Some symptoms of dementia can be treated with medication (although many have been labeled ineffective) or physical therapy, so it can be helpful to find out what’s causing them sooner rather than later.  It can make planning for the future and decisions about health care, finances, living options, and legal matters easier, too,” wrote www.webmd.com.

In conclusion, Carey Mulligan wrote, “Those with dementia are still people, and they still have stories, and they still have character, and they are all individuals, and each is unique.  They just need to be interacted with on a human level.”

Caring for others with dementia is not easy.

Neither is life.

But we do it.