vascular dementia
 | As mom's behavior became odder, I made excuses. Was it boredom,
loneliness or depression? It never crossed my mind that Mom had
dementia.
what is dementia Every time I visited, mom told the same stories, focusing on adult children stealing from their elderly parents. It was hard not to take it personally. I also noticed her plans of volunteering to help children learn to read never got off the ground. What I didn't know was that my mother's negative, repetitious stories and her inability to follow through on a project where signs of her early stage Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is one of several diseases that fall under the umbrella of dementia. All dementia robs their sufferers of independence and require their families to provide lots of care. Other frequently diagnosed dementia are vascular dementia and Parkinson's related dementia. A diagnosis of mixed dementia may be given when the person has symptoms from more than one disease. Some common dementia symptoms Short term memory loss that shows up as repetitive questions and stories Poor hygiene Problems with math that may show up as an unbalanced check book or bounced checks Loss of interest in activities that the person previously enjoyed Impaired judgment that may show up as reckless or uncharacteristic behavior Changes in personality and mood that may show up as a formerly easy going person becoming anxious or angry It's important to get to the root of what is causing the change the in your parent's behavior. Treatable conditions like depression or thyroid disease can mimic the symptoms of dementia. Part of the doctor's job will be to rule out these other conditions. Have your parent evaluated by a doctor who is experienced in assessing memory issues or by a memory clinic. People with dementia usually need more and more assistance living their daily lives as their illness progresses. As soon as you know or suspect a dementia diagnosis, begin planning. Needing help with daily activities like dressing or bathing is considered custodial care and is not covered by health insurance. Your family member will quite possibly live a long time with an impairment that requires your help. vascular dementia |
