Alzheimer’s vs. Dementia

Have you ever wondered about the difference between Alzheimer's disease and dementia?

Dementia is a general term used to refer to a person's loss of cognitive function including remembering, thinking, and reasoning. Alzheimer's disease is a specific type of dementia, but not the only one.

Common symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s include:

●     Memory loss

●     Poor judgment and reasoning

●     Decreased focus and attention

●     Changes in one’s ability to read, write and/or speak

●     Having trouble with normal, daily tasks

●     Mood and personality changes

While both dementia and Alzheimer’s disease seem very similar, there are a several things that differentiate the two.

●     Dementia symptoms can develop from diseases other than Alzheimer’s including Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease.

●     Alzheimer's disease is not reversible. Once an individual is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, the disease will continue to progress over time. Some causes of dementia can be reversed with proper treatment.

●     Onset age can be different between dementia and Alzheimer’s. Ninety-five percent of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are 65 years or older, while dementia caused by other diseases can start much earlier.

●     In the late stages of Alzheimer’s, an individual can experience difficulties in physical abilities including sitting, walking, and swallowing.

To learn more about this topic, please contact us at 786-206-9230.