Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia are not interchangeable terms. Although they have similar symptoms and are branches of the same overall problem, it is critical to make a distinction between the two through a medical diagnosis by a dementia specialist. I scanned through several articles on the Internet and made a small comparison of the two conditions.
1. Alzheimer’s Disease: (Unique Disease)
- Alzheimer’s is the most common FORM of dementia.
- Severe memory LOSS (as the disease progresses).
Ex:) Forget how to dress, Fail to recognize familiar people/places, Problems speaking/reading/writing, Tendency to wander away.
- Can occur as early as 45 years old.
- Different for each individual affected by the disease.
- Progressively gets worse, is fatal.
2. Dementia: (Umbrella Term)
- Describes a number of symptoms related to mental degredation.
- Common problem in the elderly population
- Diagnosed later in life: 70-80 years old
- Some causes of dementia are treatable
- Memory IMPAIRMENT related with old age
Ex:) Forgetfulness, Difficulty making plans/thinking ahead, Orientation problems.
- Includes: Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Vascular Dementia, head injury, delirium, stroke, brain tumor, Alcoholic Dementia, Multi-Infarct Dementia, etc…
For more information on Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias, visit the wealth of information at the Alzheimer’s Association website at: http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_related_diseases.asp