Dementia and Alzheimer’s are terms that are often used interchangeably. Despite sharing common similarities, it is important to understand the difference between the two, so we as care givers and loved ones can better support these individuals living with the condition, states one experienced in providing Dementia home-care and overnight care company based in Evesham, Worcestershire.
The term Dementia is used as an umbrella term encompassing various conditions that cause a decline in cognitive functioning, memory and behaviour. These include Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and Frontotemporal dementia, that all share similar symptoms, but not necessarily similar causes. Ultimately, the term Dementia is often used to refer to a set of symptoms rather than a specific condition.
Alzheimer’s is one of the diseases that dementia includes. The symptoms comprise of all the classic symptoms one would think of when they think of dementia, such as memory loss, impaired judgment, personality changes, and difficulties with daily tasks. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, making up 60-80% of cases. The characteristics of Alzheimer’s such as the cause, physiology and slight variations in symptoms are what differs it from the other conditions.
Alzheimer’s occurs when brain cells lose functioning and eventually die, causing the cortex of the brain to shrink, resulting in more white matter. This is due to the abnormal build-up of plaques around the brain cells by the protein amyloid. The cause of Alzheimer’s is still unknown, but some research suggests that lifestyle and environmental factors may have an effect on the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.
