Dementia 101: A Brief Introduction

The best thing about being a speech therapist in Jamaica is that no two days are the same. I get the opportunity to work with a variety of age groups and a variety of wonderful people. Most of the patients I see are children and that is who most of my posts have been about but I'm switching things up a bit. Let's talk about one of my favourite areas to work in: dementia care.

Jamaicans are very proud people and any deviation from the norm is hidden away from the public eye. This is one of the reasons why dementia care doesn't get the attention it needs. Let's change that! You are not alone and we need to break the stigma.

I've noticed lately an increase in missing person flyers for older persons and I cannot help but wonder if dementia might be at play. I've decided to dedicate the next few posts to increasing awareness about dementia. With more information available I hope more persons will feel empowered to help their loved ones.

First things first, let me give you some background info. Dementia is an umbrella term for progressive diseases where one gradually loses cognitive function. With time, someone who has dementia loses memory, language and problem solving abilities.

There are multiple types of dementia. Most people know about Alzheimer's but there are others such as Vascular Dementia and Lewy Body Dementia.

Dementias are differentiated by:

The age one starts showing symptoms. Alzheimer's, for example, typically manifests after the age of 65. Someone with Early-Onset Alzheimer's can start showing symptoms as early as the age of 30 and Frontotemporal Dementia usually presents between the ages of 40 and 65.

The cause of the dementia. For instance, Alzheimer's is caused by an abnormal build up of proteins in and around the brain. Vascular Dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to brain tissue, usually as a result of strokes.

How long it takes to progress. At this time, there is no cure for dementia. Progression can be slowed with medication but the disease will continue to progress. Some dementias progress more quickly than others. Alzheimer's is considered a slowly progressing dementia as persons typically live for 8-12 years following a diagnosis. Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD), the human form of Mad Cow disease, results in a type of dementia that progresses more quickly. Persons diagnosed with CJD usually pass within 8months, and in rare cases, 2 years after diagnosis.

Some symptoms are specific to some dementias. For example frightening and realistic hallucinations is a common symptom of Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's Disease Dementia that you might not see in other dementias.

Okay, I've given you plenty information about dementia but I wanted to establish a foundation that you can refer to as we dive deeper into dementia in future posts. As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out!