Dementia and Alzheimer's: Understanding the Difference

If you’ve never personally been impacted by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it may seem like these terms can be used interchangeably. However, that is far from true.

We’ve put together this handy guide to help you understand the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, as well as the causes and treatments for both.

Dementia

What is Dementia?

Dementia is not a disease, but rather a set of symptoms that can be triggered by a variety of causes. Alzheimer’s disease can cause dementia, but it is not the only cause.

Dementia is more than simple forgetfulness - it involves a prolonged impact to memory and cognitive performance. Someone with dementia may have memory problems, difficulty with reasoning, decreased focus, a decline in speaking skills or a combination of these symptoms.

What Causes Dementia?

There can be a wide variety of causes for dementia, but the most common is Alzheimer’s Disease which is responsible for 50% to 70% of all cases.

Other causes for dementia range from progressive dementia (which cannot be reversed), injury, or dementia-like syndromes which can sometimes improve with treatment. Someone may also suffer from dementia triggered by two or more different causes - this is called mixed dementia.

Treatment for Dementia

It is important to seek advice from a medical professional in order to determine what is the underlying cause of dementia the best course of treatment.

As with most health issues, the best treatment by preventing the issue in the first place. This can be accomplished by keeping the mind active with activities like puzzles and memory games. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re living a generally healthy lifestyle by eating right, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly.

Alzheimer’s Disease

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s Disease is a specific degenerative disease that impacts the brain. It is the most common cause of dementia and is progressive, which means that it will get worse over time.

What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease?

At this time there is no known cause for Alzheimer's. Age is a risk factor, although according to the Alzheimer’s Association there are approximately 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 living with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease

Unfortunately, there is no known treatment, cure or even a way to slow Alzheimer’s disease, although scientists are actively researching to learn more. Depending on the patient, a doctor may be able to prescribe medication to help lessen the symptoms of the disease.

A home health aide can also be a huge help for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Our qualified home health aides have experience working with Alzheimer’s patients and can be an invaluable resource to a family who is not familiar with the disease.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, give us a call at 610-928-1008 to learn more about how our care options would work with your needs.