Dementia can make illness harder to spot because the usual signals get scrambled. Your loved one may not be able to explain pain. They may not remember they feel feverish. They may describe symptoms in ways that do not “make sense,” or they may say nothing at all. Instead, sickness often shows up as a behavior shift, a sudden drop in appetite, new agitation, a change in walking, or “something is off” that you cannot quite name.
This guide is built for that exact reality. You will learn what to watch for, what changes are urgent, how to recognize delirium, and how to gather the right information for the clinician so your loved one gets treated faster.
Posts
Families ask this question for a reason. When dementia shows up, you want tools that help your loved one stay engaged, stay confident, and feel a little more like themselves. Screens are everywhere, so it is natural to wonder if brain games, tablets, and computer programs can actually improve dementia symptoms, or if they just create frustration.
The honest answer is nuanced. Some types of computer-based cognitive training can help certain thinking skills for some people, especially earlier in the journey. It is usually not a magic fix, and it works best when it is part of a bigger plan that includes movement, social connection, and meaningful daily routines.
Lewy body dementia (LBD) can be one of the most confusing dementias for families because it rarely looks consistent day to day. Someone may seem clear and engaged in the morning, then become foggy, fearful, or unsteady by afternoon. Hallucinations can appear early. Sleep can turn chaotic. Movement can start to resemble Parkinson’s. It is a lot, and it is not surprising that many families feel like they are piecing together a puzzle while the picture keeps changing.
This guide is designed to be a pillar-level resource that answers the big questions families actually have. What is Lewy body dementia? How is it different from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease dementia? What symptoms matter most. Why medication choices can be risky. What helps at home. When it may be time to consider structured support.
When your spouse has dementia, life can start to feel unfamiliar even while you are standing in the same kitchen, sleeping in the same bed, living in the same zip code. If a move to memory care becomes necessary, that change can hit like a wave. The home gets quieter. Your daily responsibilities shift. Your identity as a partner, caregiver, decision-maker, and protector gets rearranged all at once.
This article combines the heart of two earlier posts into one practical guide. It is written for the spouse who is trying to do the right thing while carrying grief, love, exhaustion, and that strange mix of relief and sadness that can feel impossible to explain.
Dementias are degenerative disorders that develop primarily in the nervous system and selectively damage particular areas of the brain. Some dementias, like Alzheimer’s disease affect all areas of the brain simultaneously, while others, such as frontotemporal dementia, affect the parts of the brain involved in controlling one’s communications and emotions. Still others are caused by vascular disease, brain trauma, or chronic alcohol abuse (Korsakoff’s syndrome)
By 2030, 20% of U.S. population will be older than 65 years of age – about 50 million people. Dementia affects 1% to 6% of those older than 65, and between 10% and 20% of those older than 80 years of age. In the next 30 years, estimated 10-20 million seniors in U.S. will have mild to severe forms of dementia.
Seniors with history of moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) have a 2-3 times greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease – those with a severe TBI have a 4-5 times greater risk. Even healthy seniors are at risk for falls and head trauma, so any fall to the head, however minor, should be seen by a medical professional and documented.
Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 65% of all dementias. There is no direct diagnosis of Alzheimer’s – and while PET scans and other imaging techniques are being studied, none have yet been able to show the presence of Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s onset often surprises families because vision, movement, and sensation remain untouched while a senior’s memories begin to slowly decrease. Recent memories are affected first, leading to “senior moments” that appear innocent because all other memories, including those from decades ago, remain intact. Eventually those remote memories begin to fade, and lastly the senior’s “crystallized” memories, such as family member’s names and faces, are compromised.
By David L. Raffle, PhD
Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychologist
www.RaffleBrainInstitute.com
A dementia diagnosis often raises concerns about whether the condition is hereditary. Many people worry about passing it on to their children, while others watching their parents struggle with the disease wonder, Will this happen to me one day? The good news is that, in most cases, dementia is not directly inherited. However, some forms of dementia have genetic components that may increase a person’s risk. Scientists are still working to fully understand these complex connections, but research has shown that while family history can be a factor, lifestyle and environmental influences often play an even greater role.
If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you probably have a lot of questions. This article is intended to address some of the most basic facts and get you started in the learning process.
Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia, is a problem with the brain and affects a patient’s behavior, thought processes, and memory. The symptoms are fairly minor to start, and then gradually get worse to the point where they drastically affect the individual’s everyday life and they need other people to help them complete even basic functions.
There are several million people in the US who have Alzheimer’s disease. It usually starts sometime after 65 years of age, and becomes more likely the older a person gets. Among those people older than 85, some estimate that half have Alzheimer’s.
One of the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease is problems with thinking skills, especially memory, and behavior alterations. The person may be moody, restless, or confused. They may display uncharacteristically poor judgment or have trouble processing visual information. They may also experience difficulties communicating and using language. Alzheimer’s can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms can easily seem like the normal effects of aging. The disease is frequently ignored in the early stages.
How can you know the difference? When you see the doctor for a diagnosis, he or she will run a variety of tests designed to measure cognitive functioning and behavior. The only way anyone can know for sure that a person has Alzheimer’s, though, is to see if there is plaque in their brain tissue. This usually isn’t possible until after the patient has passed away and an autopsy is performed.
The disease may take anywhere from around 5 to 20 years to run its course. Because it damages the brain, it can cause a person to have trouble with basic physical functions such as swallowing, which can in turn lead to death. Alzheimer’s patients are also more likely to get an infection.
As of yet, no cure has been found for Alzheimer’s disease, but there are treatments available that can lessen some of the negative effects of the disease on patients and caregivers, as well as slow its progression.
To learn more about this disease, see the articles below:
How to Choose a Memory Care Facility
When Your Parent Forgets Who You Are
Three Big Questions to Consider After an Alzheimer’s DiagnosisIf you have a loved one living with dementia, one of the most common questions is also the hardest one to answer. What should we expect next. Dementia does progress, but it does not progress like a clean staircase. People can look steady for a while, then change quickly after an illness, a fall, a medication reaction, or a major life stress. Others decline slowly over years. Sudden confusion or behavior shifts can also be delirium or another medical issue and should be evaluated promptly.
This guide is built to be a comprehensive, practical “stages of dementia” resource. It explains the most common staging frameworks, what typically changes at each stage, what is a safety red flag, and when families in Southern California often consider more structured support.
Raya’s Paradise in conjunction with Care HomeCare is grateful to be a part of the Alzheimer’s Associations “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” this year. We are proud to be a Sponsor of this event in the nation’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. This inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to reclaim the future of millions. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s disease, the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death.
You can come join us in support of your family, friends and coworkers. The following is information on how to sign up and when and where the walk will take place.
The 2012 Alzheimer’s Walk will take place on Sunday November 4th, 2012 at Century Park located at 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, Ca. Registration & Check-In will begin at 7:00 a.m.; Opening Ceremonies are at 8:30 a.m. and at 9:00 a.m., the Walk Kicks Off !
For more information Contact: Kim Sims 213.300.5280 or Julie Hansen at 310.487.7112. All of our Raya’s Paradise and Care HomeCare participants will receive our Logo T-Shirt, Logo Cap and Water Bottle. Please join us for a fun and memorable day!!