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What Is Dementia? | Care Home London
What Does Understanding Dementia Mean?
Dementia is a term used to describe a encompasses over 200 subtypes of conditions that affect the brain. It is characterised by abnormal brain changes that result in decreased cognitive ability, memory, and behavioural changes. These symptoms interfere with a person's daily life and ability to complete normal activities. Dementia is more common in those over 65 years old, however, there are some types that appear in younger people (45 -55 years old), known as young onset dementia. In the UK, there are over 850,000 people living with dementia, a number that is only expected to rise.

Understanding dementia means recognising that it is not a single disease, but a collection of symptoms that result from damage to the brain. These symptoms can be caused by several conditions. We often think of memory loss when we talk about dementia, but the condition can also affect people in a wide variety of other ways, including changes in behaviour, mood and ability to carry out daily tasks.

What Are the Causes of Dementia?
Dementia is a condition that affects the brain cells (neurones). By damaging these cells, dementia impairs their ability to send messages to one another, which in turn affects the brain’s ability to perform certain tasks, resulting in dementia symptoms. As dementia is a progressive condition, as time goes on more neurones get damaged and die. This means the affected brain areas shrink and symptoms get progressively worse in the later stages of dementia. Different types of dementia are caused by different things. For example, Vascular Dementia (the second most common type of dementia) is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often as a result of a stroke or series of small strokes.

The causes of dementia can be complex and vary greatly from person to person. However, all types of dementia involve damage to the brain cells, which leads to their inability to communicate effectively. The brain cells' inability to communicate causes a disruption in the thinking, behaviour and feelings of the person with dementia.

How Can We Recognise the Symptoms of Dementia?
Everyone experiences dementia differently. How someone experiences dementia can depend on the type of dementia they have, what stage they’re at, where their dementia started, their previous lifestyle and much more. In general, dementia affects someone’s thinking ability, memory and behaviour. Dementia symptoms get progressively worse over time. People with dementia can get quite confused, disorientated and have difficulty with time and place. They might get up in the middle of the night, confuse faces or surroundings or get worried that they should be elsewhere. People living with dementia might also have difficulty concentrating or completing tasks they used to be able to do.

Recognising the symptoms of dementia can be challenging, especially in the early stages. The symptoms can often be subtle and may not be immediately obvious. Some people may notice changes in their memory, thinking skills or behaviour, while others may not notice anything at all. As the disease progresses, the symptoms become more apparent and severe.

How Does Dementia Affect Memory?
Dementia often affects the person's short-term memory, much more than usual ageing would. People with dementia can forget people and places which can be upsetting for them, their carer and their family. Their memory is also likely to get progressively worse as the condition goes on. People with dementia often forget more recent years of their lives and instead think that they are much younger than they actually are.

Memory loss is one of the most common signs of dementia. However, it's important to remember that memory loss can also be a normal part of ageing, or a symptom of other conditions. It's when memory loss starts to interfere with daily life that it may be a sign of dementia. For example, a person with dementia may forget important dates or events, ask for the same information over and over, or rely on memory aids or family members for things they used to handle on their own.

What Are the Behavioural Changes in Dementia?
Some symptoms of dementia affect the person's behaviour and personality. People with dementia are sometimes known to be quite aggressive and angry whereas others might be more withdrawn and introverted. Mood swings, depression and anxiety are some of the most common behavioural and personality changes. In addition to these changes, communication can get harder and someone with dementia will talk and engage less. They might also lose their ability to read, write and speak coherently.

Behavioural changes in dementia can be one of the most challenging aspects of the disease for both the person with dementia and their caregivers. These changes can include everything from depression and anxiety to hallucinations, aggressive behaviour, and even physical violence. It's important to remember that these behaviours are a result of the disease and not a reflection of the person's character.

How Is Dementia Diagnosed?
Getting an early diagnosis is important. For some types of dementia there are treatments that can help slow the progression of dementia in its early stages. An early diagnosis can also give you and your family more time to plan future care, legal and financial responsibilities. However, diagnosing dementia early is hard and relies upon the family noticing symptoms, memory tests, a doctor’s careful study of a person’s medical and family history and assessment over a period of time.

Diagnosing dementia is often a complex process. It typically involves a series of tests, including cognitive and physical assessments, as well as detailed interviews with the person experiencing symptoms and their family members. In some cases, brain imaging scans may also be used. The goal of these tests is to rule out other potential causes of symptoms, such as depression, drug interactions, or vitamin deficiencies, and to determine the type and extent of the cognitive impairment.

How Can We Provide Dementia Care?
Caring for someone with dementia is incredibly hard. As a progressing condition, their care needs will change and grow over time. Some common things people struggle with when caring for someone with dementia include getting them to eat more and helping them to get a good night’s sleep. Beyond their immediate care needs you will have to consider which future care option will be most suitable for them and start to get their affairs in order. As far as treatments are concerned, unfortunately there is no cure for dementia yet. There are medicines that can help slow the progression of some types of dementia at an early stage but for the most part drugs that doctors prescribe will be to manage secondary symptoms like depression, anxiety and aggression. It is important that as a dementia carer you have a good support network around you and that you try to balance your care responsibilities with time for yourself. Dementia activity groups and cafés are a great way to supply your relative with fun, different activities as well as allowing you to meet people in similar situations and find out more about dementia care resources in your area. For more information, visit our Dementia Care page.

Providing care for someone with dementia can be a challenging task. It requires patience, understanding, and a lot of support. The person with dementia will need help with daily activities such as eating, bathing, and dressing, as well as managing their medications. They may also need emotional support as they cope with the changes in their abilities and their life. As a caregiver, it's important to take care of your own health and well-being too. This can include seeking support from others, taking time for yourself, and managing your own stress levels.

What Does the Future Hold for Dementia?
As awareness of dementia is increasing, people are more likely to recognise the signs and go to their GP to get a diagnosis. People are also living for longer, and the risk of developing dementia gradually increases in people over the age of 65: one in six people in their 80s will develop dementia, and over one in three people aged 90 and over. With the advancements in technology and medical research, we hope to better understand dementia and find more effective treatments in the future.

The future of dementia research is promising. Scientists are working hard to understand more about the causes of dementia, how it progresses, and how it can be prevented or treated. There are also many clinical trials underway, testing new treatments and approaches to care. While there is currently no cure for dementia, the future holds hope for new and better treatments, and perhaps one day, a cure. In the meantime, there are many things that can be done to support people with dementia and their families, from providing high-quality care to promoting awareness and understanding of the disease.





Read More: https://www.kyn.co.uk/care/dementia-care