Get the Facts on Memory Loss
Memory loss doesn’t just affect the individuals experiencing it, it impacts their entire family. If you’ve been through it or are currently navigating through memory loss with someone you love, you’ve felt the frustration and deep sadness that comes with it.
Over the next few months, we will explore memory loss and share valuable information from our team of experts who work with it every day. These are the caregivers who calm, encourage, comfort, and respect residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. These are the people who understand what families experience when supporting a loved one with memory loss.
We will share facts and insights that we hope you’ll find helpful, and we’ll provide some warning signs, so you’ll know what to watch for. But first, let’s get a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias from the Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota the Mayo Clinic.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior, and it accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases. One in five Minnesotans will turn 65 in the next decade, and most people with Alzheimer's are over 65. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia and is a general term for memory loss and other cognitive impairments serious enough to interfere with daily life.
What are the related dementias?
Dementia is a general term for loss of memory. There are four common progressive dementias in addition to Alzheimer’s, and here is a definition for each one, according to the Mayo Clinic:
Lewy Body Dementia:
Lewy body dementia is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Protein deposits called Lewy bodies develop in nerve cells in the brain. The protein deposits affect brain regions involved in thinking, memory, and movement. This condition is also known as dementia with Lewy bodies. People with Lewy body dementia might see things that aren't there. This is known as visual hallucinations. They also may have changes in alertness and attention.
Vascular Dementia:
Vascular dementia is a general term describing problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory, and other thought processes caused by brain damage from impaired blood flow to your brain. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, the most significant symptoms of vascular dementia tend to involve speed of thinking and problem-solving rather than memory loss.
Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD):
FTD is an umbrella term for a group of brain diseases that mainly affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These areas of the brain are associated with personality, behavior, and language. In frontotemporal dementia, parts of these lobes shrink, known as atrophy. Symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected. Some people with frontotemporal dementia have changes in their personalities. They become socially inappropriate and may be impulsive or emotionally indifferent. Others lose the ability to properly use language.
Mixed Dementia
People with mixed dementia can have Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia. Studies are ongoing to determine how having mixed dementia affects symptoms and treatments.
If someone you love is developing signs of memory loss, Catholic Eldercare is here to be a resource to you and your family. We also have warm and wonderful living communities for people with memory loss and the necessary experience to care for them.
RiverVillage East
Memory care is within a secure assisted living community inside RiverVillage where trained staff members assist adults in the early to middle stages of memory loss. Each resident lives in a private apartment with the reassurance that staff is nearby to assist them 24 hours a day, as needed.
Albert J. Hofstede Care Center
Located within our skilled care community, the memory care unit cares for adults with dementia or other memory concerns. Our dedicated staff is continually educated and trained in the newest best practices for interacting with residents in a protective and respectful manner. Activity programming is specially designed to nurture and encourage each individual to live every day to the fullest.
Email Robin Haenze, Director of Sales & Outreach to find out more.