The differences between Alzheimer’s and dementia explained
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are not the same thing, although many people use the terms interchangeably. Dementia is a general term used to describe many progressive diseases that affect the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is a specific disease of the brain that causes dementia.
Here you can learn more about the differences between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
What is dementia?
Dementia is not a disease but an umbrella term used to describe a set of symptoms caused by over two hundred different progressive diseases that affect the brain. Common symptoms include problems with memory, thinking, problem solving, language and perception,all of which can have an impact on a person’s ability to live a healthy, happy and independent life.
Of the diseases that cause dementia symptoms, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common, affecting between 50%-75% of people living with dementia. Other common types of dementia are vascular dementia, affecting around 20% of those diagnosed and dementia with Lewy bodies, affecting around 2%.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease occurs when abnormal structures called ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ build up inside the brain. These disrupt how nerve cells work and communicate with each other and eventually cause them to die. There is also a shortage of some important chemicals in the brain of someone with Alzheimer’s disease. Reduced levels of these chemicals mean that messages don’t travel around as well as they should.
The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are typically mild to start with but get worse over time as more brain cells are damaged. This can have a significant impact on a person’s day to day life and ability to live independently, which can be very distressing and upsetting not just for the person living with the condition but also for their family and loved ones.
Memory loss
The first sign that a person has Alzheimer’s disease is problems with memory, which impacts a person’s ability to recall recent events and learn new information. However, the person’s memory of events of the longer-term past can remain vivid in the early stages of the disease.
Speech and language
Alzheimer’s disease can impact people’s thinking and ability to find the right words. They may also struggle to follow a conversation, and their language may become muddled and/or repetitive.
Concentration, planning or organising
People with Alzheimer’s disease may have difficulty making decisions, solving problems, or carrying out a sequence of tasks, such as cooking a meal.
Orientation
Another symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is confusion, and people living with the disease may lose track of time – the day or time of day.
What are the main differences between Alzheimer’s and dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Here are the main differences between the two:
- Definition: Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory, cognitive function, and other mental abilities. Alzheimer’s disease, on the other hand, is a specific type of dementia and the most common cause, accounting for 60-80% of cases.
- Cause: Alzheimer’s disease is characterised by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain, leading to the death of brain cells and the progressive decline of cognitive function. Other types of dementia, such as vascular dementia or frontotemporal dementia, have different underlying causes, such as strokes or protein abnormalities.
- Symptoms: While both Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia can cause memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with language and problem-solving, the specific symptoms and their progression may vary depending on the underlying cause of dementia.
- Treatment: There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or most types of dementia. However, some medications and interventions can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life for individuals with dementia. Treatment plans may vary depending on the type of dementia and the individual’s specific needs.
In summary, dementia is a broad term encompassing a range of symptoms related to cognitive decline. At the same time, Alzheimer’s disease is a specific type of dementia with its own unique characteristics and underlying pathology.
Coping with a dementia diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
Receiving a diagnosis of dementia can be a distressing moment, whether it comes as a shock or confirms what you have suspected for some time. Naturally, it will prompt fears about the future, particularly if it means leaving your home and going into a care home.
It is important to remember that by giving your condition a name it doesn’t change who you are as a person or how you live your life. In many cases, people come to feel that a diagnosis is a positive step as you are now empowered to take appropriate steps to improve the quality of the person’s life and minimise the impact of dementia.
Supporting people to stay at home with Alzheimer’s disease
We know receiving care in the comfort, safety and familiarity of your own home has far reaching benefits in improving overall health and well-being for a person living with Alzheimer’s disease. When an individual is living with Alzheimer’s disease, the process of moving to a care home, away from their much-loved home full of its treasured possessions and memories, can be heart-wrenching and daunting, affecting their ability to live well with dementia. We know that staying at home and receiving compassionate, one-to-one care from a highly trained and well-matched professional carer improves quality of life and health outcomes for an individual living with Alzheimer’s disease. Our personalised approach to providing high quality dementia care, with a fully managed and flexible service that families can rely on is setting the standards in live-in care.
Specialist, adaptable care no matter where you are in your journey
Our dementia model, called ‘EVER’ was developed in-house by our Admiral Nurse Dr Jane Pritchard, and Occupational Therapist Jackie Cooper. It helps us to understand and discover what is important to the person living with dementia, enabling us to develop a purposeful and meaningful programme of care. All of our professional carers and management team are trained in the EVER approach to dementia care, but it doesn’t stop there. Our care teams receive ongoing coaching, mentoring and support based on the latest thinking and research that ensure they have the knowledge, skills and aptitude to deliver positive dementia care.
Specialist dementia care at home provided by expert carers
We have been innovating dementia care for over ten years. All our professional carers are trained in how to care for someone living with dementia and use a range of best practice techniques such as ‘validation’, proven to provide reassurance, reduce anxiety and calm behaviours whilst reducing the need to use antipsychotic drugs used widely in many care home settings.
Despite the challenges dementia can present, with the gentle encouragement and compassionate care provided by our dementia carers, our clients can live well with dementia. The high-quality care provided by our dementia carers has seen a 66% reduction in the use of antipsychotic medications compared with the average care home.
Our collaborative approach to working with leading medical experts, academic bodies and leading charities ensure our care is of the very highest standards.
We recognise that feelings become increasingly significant to the person living with dementia and that intact memories from the past become increasingly useful as a replacement for recent lost facts.
Our approach to delivery of dementia care, is led and supported by our own Consultant Admiral Nurse, Dr Jane Prichard. This support from an Admiral nurse, combined with our work with one of the UK’s leading dementia charities, Dementia UK, means we can offer unrivalled levels of emotional and practical support to those living with dementia and their families.
What is included in our service?
Our highly personalised live-in care dementia service includes:
- Full assessment before care starts
- Bespoke and flexible care plan developed with input from the family and other healthcare professionals
- Matching of the most suitable care team to meet the holistic needs of our clients
- Dedicated care team led by an expert regional care manager
- Meal planning and household tasks
- Social activities and lifestyle enhancement
- Specialist support and expertise - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Access to clinical expertise and support
Useful dementia resources
To support you and your family, we have created a useful dementia care guide that provides information and advice on how to provide person-centred dementia care following a diagnosis of dementia. A number of dementia charities across the UK, including dementia UK and the Alzheimer’s society, also provide families with help, advice, and support when they need it most.
Other conditions we care for
Talk to us about your dementia care needs
Our friendly and experienced team is here to help you and your family make sense of the options available to you. Call us today – we will help you every step of the way.