Are you noticing possible signs of dementia in someone you love? Dementia is a common occurrence as people age, but there are also many different kinds that can look similar.
Knowing about the different types of dementia can help you better prepare and recognize if someone is exhibiting symptoms. Read on to learn the more common types. This way, it’ll be easier to get someone the help they need.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a very common disease that presents symptoms of dementia. When people think of dementia, they often think of Alzheimer’s first. Clumps of protein build up in the brain, which causes damage over time.
Alzheimer’s develops over time and progresses. There is not a cure, but many studies continue to try and help individuals who may suffer from Alzheimer’s. If you’ve noticed possible symptoms related to Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, you might consider looking into a memory care facility for your loved one.
Lewy Body Disease
Lewy Body Disease is another form of dementia in the elderly and relates to protein build-up in the brain like with Alzheimer’s. This may cause people to be confused, see and hear things, and move differently.
Living with dementia, like Lewy Body Disease, that impacts your physical movements can be dangerous and make people more accident-prone. Parkinson’s disease is a form of Lewy Body Disease.
Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia comes on fast due to a stroke or other event impacting the brain. The signs for this dementia include sudden memory loss and walking and communicating differently or with difficulty. It may look similar to other forms of dementia, and the symptoms will differ depending on the area of the brain affected.
Fronto-Temporal Dementia
Fronto-temporal dementia, or FTD, can develop in older and younger people, as young as in their 40s. The signs of dementia resulting from FTD include changes in personality, language, and behavior.
People might eat and act differently and have a hard time when talking to other people. They may lose awareness in social situations and seem tactless when speaking, and also might not notice a change in hygiene or personal health.
Mixed Dementia
It is possible to be diagnosed with multiple types of dementia. As people age, it is difficult to keep the brain in 100% working order, and people are more susceptible to developing different kinds of dementia, or multiple at once. The most common combination is someone having both Vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Many Types of Dementia
Knowing the different types of dementia can help you be more aware of the signs and symptoms, so someone can get help as soon as these start to develop.
Dementia can be a difficult disease and rarely curable, but living with dementia is entirely possible and done every day by many people. While most dementia is seen in the elderly, it can also develop in people in their 40s as early-onset dementia.
There are even more kinds of dementia than listed above, but when you familiarize yourself with the most common ones, you’re already in a better place to handle it if it develops in someone you know and care for.
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