Early Onset Dementia Symptoms and Signs to Look For

Posted by Paxton Price on May 7, 2012

Early Onset Dementia Symptoms and Signs to Look For

What are the Early Onset Dementia Symptoms? Have you noticed something odd about a loved one lately? Does it seem odd that they are often finding it difficult to remember important names, dates, places, and events when you ask them about it?

Often people would think that forgetting these things is normal and it’s just part of “getting old”. But what many people may fail to realize is that this could be one of the early onset Dementia symptoms.

Early Onset Dementia Symptoms affect the cognitive function of the brain. Faculties such as judgment, memory, and concentration grow worse during the  Dementia Stages. Dementia is not merely a single disease but rather it is a non-specific syndrome. That means that this ailment connected with several symptoms that point towards a particular disease or disorder.

Dementia is a disorder that is not known to many. And early onset dementia symptoms are often confused as just plain forgetfulness by many people who witness it. Early onset Dementia symptoms include but are not limited to:

• Poor judgment
• Finding it difficult to do daily tasks
• Lacking the ability to concentrate
• Erratic mood swings
• Language and speech problems
• Having difficulty to recognize, understand, and comprehend
• Short term memory loss

The sad part is that most types of Dementia are degenerative. Most types are also irreversible. Some of the causes of Dementia can be stopped or slowed down though if they are found out soon enough.

Dementia stages are hard to detect during the early part of the ailment. A scale developed by Dr. Barry Reisberg called the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) helps give an overview of the stages Dementia sufferers will go through. Having knowledge of these key Dementia stages will help you or caregivers get an idea of what level a Dementia-sufferer is at in the ongoing progress of Dementia.

A quick overview of the scale will give you a good idea of the different Dementia stages and their progression. The three stages  here will give you a simple way of looking for  the different early onset Dementia  symptoms.

 Stage 1

This is the stage where people feel memory lapses. They tend to forget words, names, or an object’s location like the car keys or objects they use daily. But this is still not evidence of clear Dementia symptoms in a medical examination or is not even clear to friends, family, or co-workers.

Often the patient would think that their being forgetful is due to old age.

 Stage 2

The confusion, forgetfulness, and lapses in memory become more obvious. The person suffering from Dementia will now have a hard time covering up their lapses and is now often seen as irritable and anxious. They will tend to ask a lot of repetitive questions. The ability to manage daily affairs is also now affected. Often this is the time where a Dementia sufferer gradually withdraws from socializing, finding a task is uncomfortable and sometimes unbearable.

 Stage 3

This is the stage where anyone who might be talking to your loved one suffering from Dementia would notice that they have a problem. Their Dementia at this point may also limit the ability to think. At this stage most require constant supervision while others round-the-clock watch just to make sure they are safe. They will also need assistance with activities necessary for daily living like bathing, dressing, eating and they lose the ability to live independently.
This is going to be a tough challenge for you. The conditions outlined above will put what the person suffering from Dementia into context and give you an idea what to expect as the illness progresses. Individuals will have different levels of progression though based on their overall physical condition and what type of Dementia they are suffering from.
 

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Dementia Statistics and Information You Should Know

Posted by Paxton Price on Apr 28, 2012

Dementia Statistics and Information You Should Know

Dementia Statistics can come from many sources. As you research Dementia Statistics you will find that not all sources of information agree with each other. This is due in part to the fact that there is still a lot to learn about dementia as a syndrome. A person affected by dementia will show different signs and symptoms depending on the stage of dementia that a patient is in. The dementia stages are assessed by a medical professional using the Global Deterioration Scale or GDS. According to Dementia Statistics there are several types of dementia affecting the population today. It is a progressive condition which means that symptoms can get worse as time passes by. The progression of such symptoms will vary from one person to another and one can be effected by the condition in different ways.

According to dementia statistics, the amounts of people who are afflicted with the condition are growing in numbers. The Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) is an organization in England which is made up of of several national Alzheimer’s organizations. They study not only Alzheimer’s, but the other forms of dementia as well. In 2011 they released a report with alarming dementia statistics showing that instances of Alzheimer’s and the other different types of dementia are becoming more and more frequent.

Click here for report:  World Alzheimer Report 2011 Executive Summary [1].pdf

Here are a few Dementia Statistics from the report

• As of 2010 35.6 million people have  Dementia worldwide.
• By 2030 an estimated 65.7 million people will be suffering from Dementia.
• 58% of people with Dementia live in developing countries.
• China, Asia and southern Asia are the regions where instances of Dementia are increasing the fastest.
• The total worldwide cost of the different types of dementia is 604 billion. (This includes costs for in home family care, community care and direct medical costs such as hospitals and Doctors.)
• Only 20% to 50% of cases of dementia are recognized and assessed. In low and middle-income regions the percentage is worse. In India one study suggests that as many as 90% of cases of dementia go undiagnosed.

What is causing these increases?

There are many reasons and variables that can account for the increase in dementia statistics. To many to name here. But according to the World Alzheimer Report 2011 Executive Summary on reason is that people are living longer.

With more people living past the age of 60 to 65 there is more chances for them to be effected by the Dementia Stages.

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Activities For Dementia Patients and How to Implement Them

Posted by Paxton Price on Apr 11, 2012

Activities For Dementia Patients and How to Implement Them

There are a lot of activities for dementia patients that you can do. They are practical and can help you boost the spirits of the patients. How do you choose the right activities for dementia patients? Those who are suffering from dementia would sometimes think that they have no ability to learn new skills or do something that interests them. This is often not the case.

It is thought that a dementia patient does not have the ability to initiate a hobby or game. Although this is not the case, you would need to properly guide them through several activities for dementia patients.

The Global Deterioration Scale and the Dementia Stages

Posted by Paxton Price on Mar 31, 2012

The Global Deterioration Scale and the Dementia Stages

Dementia is a condition that can be assessed by using the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS). It describes outlines the seven dementia stages and what symptoms to look for in each stage.

Dementia refers to a loss of normal brain function.  It tends to adversely affect memory, thinking skills, the ability to mufti-task and can lead to several other disorders. The most common form of Dementia is the Alzheimer’s disease.

There are seven stages of Dementia. These Dementia stages have a progressive nature, meaning each stage is more severe than the previous one. For example, during the first dementia stage there are no such signs of memory loss.

The Stages of Vascular Dementia

Posted by Paxton Price on Mar 30, 2012

The Stages of Vascular Dementia

Know More About The Stages of Vascular Dementia

Next to Alzheimer’s disease, the stages of vascular dementia is the most common type of dementia.. There are several causes for this condition aside from genetics and stroke. The main reason why the stages of vascular dementia happen is due to lack of blood circulation in the brain. Even if a person doesn’t suffer from a stroke, he or she might present symptoms and sometimes it could go unnoticed. A person with this condition suffers from memory loss and the loss cognitive abilities. This is caused by a lack of oxygen supply in the brain area. Blockage of the veins that supply blood to brain results in this condition.

How To Deal With Dementia

Posted by Paxton Price on Mar 29, 2012

How to Deal With Dementia

  How to Deal With Dementia.You cannot categorize Dementia as a specific disease because it’s a collective name for a number of symptoms that are caused by different disorders leading to an effect on the brain. People who suffer from dementia usually face disputed and rather diverse intellectual functioning which can cause turbulent relationships and daily activities. Even though memory loss is a symptom of dementia it can’t solely indicate whether one is suffering from this tragic condition and each is a part of the dementia stages. Different symptoms such as impaired memory, language skills and cognitive capabilities are good determinants. Patients suffering from this are likely to suffer a great deal of problems and often tend to lose emotional control.