Dementia is a general term describing a set of symptoms that can be present in many different health conditions. The symptoms are severe enough to interfere with an individual’s daily living. They include changes in abilities related to:
- Memory
- Communication and Language
- Focus and Attention Span
- Reasoning and Judgment
- Visual Perception
There are many different conditions and diseases that can cause dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause. It is an irreversible and progressive disease of the brain that affects a person’s memory, thinking, and behavior.
Take note of the picture above from alz.org. The healthy brain is on your left and the brain with Alzheimer’s disease is on your right. The brain with Alzheimer’s is smaller and shrunken compared to the healthy brain. Dementia, including Alzheimer’s results because of damage and physical changes to the brain. These physical changes cause the symptoms that we see in individuals with dementia.
For more information, additional assistance, or support contact the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Southwest Wisconsin to get connected to the Dementia Care Specialist by calling 800-514-0066.
