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There are many different types of dementias; Caregivers Corner

Capital - 9/2/2018

Dear Mary, My grandmother took care of her mother; my mother took care of my grandmother. My great-grandmother and grandmother had dementia - senile dementia, it was called. Now my 72-year-old mother has been diagnosed with dementia, and her primary care physician has referred her to a neurologist to find out what kind it is. I'm confused. I thought dementia was dementia.

Dear Reader, Think of dementia as an "umbrella" term that covers a range of conditions that cause brain disease.

Dementia involves the loss of cognitive functioning (thinking, remembering and reasoning) and behavioral abilities to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life and activities. These functions include memory, language skills, visual perception, problem solving, self-management, and the ability to focus and pay attention. There are more than 100 different causes of dementia (some use the term "kinds of dementia").

However, the majority of cases are caused by about 10 of the most common conditions and diseases. These include: Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy body, mixed dementia, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, normal pressure hydrocephalus, Huntington's disease and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Since your mother may live a good many more years with the disease, it is important for you to have an understanding of what to expect as each of these conditions can present differently.

For example, with Alzheimer's disease, we usually notice memory impairment first; for those who have dementia with Lewy body, we often see a change in muscle movement before memory impairment.

The progression of various dementias is different for each, and it is important for you to understand the changes and behaviors to expect. It's also important to remember that the behaviors we often see in different stages of the disease do not always occur in a linear manner. Knowing when a troublesome behavior is atypical for that particular dementia and understanding that a sudden change in behavior usually signals a problematic medical condition are important things to know.

I invite you to join us on Sept. 13 when Dr. Ann Morrison presents a workshop on "What is Dementia?" The workshop will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pascal Senior Activity Center, 125 Dorsey Road in Glen Burnie; it's free and open to the public.

Dear Mary, You recently answered a letter about recognizing when your independent parents needed help. How do you get them to recognize the need and accept the help?

Dear Reader, In the book, "How to Say it to Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap with our Elders," author David Solie recognizes "the clash of two different age-based agendas." Your parents, like many older adults, may be more concerned with reminiscing, reflection and controlling the process of getting to the outcome while younger folks (often the adult children of these older adults) are used to multi-tasking and put more emphasis on controlling the outcome.

Solie believes that forcing an older adult, who is capable of making their own decision, to do so before they are ready can create a lot of anger and frustration.

The outcome of your discussions will rely heavily on your approach. Be compassionate and respectful. Rather than telling your parents what you think they need, ask them if there is anything they could use some help with. Suggest having someone come in to help with cleaning or yard work; if they are reluctant, suggest a trial run.

If driving issues make it difficult to grocery shop, offer to do online shopping that can be delivered to their door or, better yet, order pre-made meals that are delivered. If bathing has become an issue because of the fear of falling, look into installing safety bars and purchasing a shower chair.

Let them know that you care about their safety, but you respect their desire to live independently and will do what you can to help them with that goal.

Questions and comments can be sent to Mary Chaput at the Department of Aging and Disabilities, 7320 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061, or by contacting 410-222-4339 or agchap01@aacounty.org.

Credit: Mary Chaput - Questions and comments can be sent to Mary Chaput at the Department of Aging and Disabilities, 7320 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21061, or by contacting 410-222-4339 or agchap01@aacounty.org.

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