IS IT FORGETFULNESS OR IS IT DEMENTIA?

Posted on September 30, 2021

Has your grandparent ever called you the wrong name? If you have cousins or siblings you most likely answered yes to that question. When you’re young, you don’t think much of it, grandma just had a slip of the tongue. Eventually, as you get older you start to wonder is it a harmless mistake or is it more serious? In other words, is it just forgetfulness or could it be dementia? Symptoms vary from person to person, but the following chart can give you an overview of what to look for.

AGE-RELATED FORGETFULNESS

DEMENTIA

WHAT IS IT?

 Aging bodies mean changes in capabilities (including in the brain). Progressive, degenerative condition that has multiple forms. Types of dementia include but aren’t limited to: Vascular, Lewy body, frontotemporal, and Alzheimer’s diseases. See stages of dementia here.

CONSIDERED “NORMAL” OR POSSIBLE

(Different Individuals Will Have Different Symptoms)
  • Forgetfulness
  • Making a bad decision
  • Forgetting what day it is
  • Searching for the right word to use
  • Forgetting to pay a monthly bill
  • Losing a commonly used item, like keys or glasses
  • Forgetting the name of a recent acquaintance
  • Difficulty driving to a new location
  • Typical mood fluctuations consistent with personality
  

  • Consistently demonstrating poor decision making
  • Struggling to maintain a conversation
  • Misplacing things frequently and being unable to locate them within the house
  • Forgetting the name of a close friend or family member
  • Dramatic mood swings or changes in personality
  • Problems recalling recent events
  • Problems creating new memories
  • Difficulties concentrating and planning

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

 Forgetfulness can be caused by other disease, not just dementia. Many diseases of the brain can lead to dementia. These include but aren’t limited to: Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Wernicke-Korsakoff

 

DIAGNOSIS

 What to do: Rule out dementia and see “Treatment Options” below Diagnosis requires a physician, bloodwork, and scans. There may be testing to “rule out” other diseases as the cause in mental change.

 

LANGUAGE CHALLENGES
  • Difficulty remembering the right word
  • Aphasia
  • Early evening confusion
  • Difficulty following conversation

 

VISUAL AND SPATIAL SKILLS
  • Disease-related issues such as visual changes due to cataracts or glaucoma
  • Difficulty estimating distances (thus descending staircases)
  • Perceiving objects in three dimensions
  • Confusion as to the day of the week or date
  • Confusion about location

 

BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS
  • Being jaded
  • Irritation at generational differences
  • Crankiness
  • Temperament Changes
  • Agitation
  • Lack of self-control
  • Roaming
  • Becoming lost

 

PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS
  • Frustration at “getting older”
  • Depression related to isolation or changes in friend groups
  • Fretfulness
  • Isolation
  • Swings in temperament
  • Depression
  • Hallucinations
  • Paranoia
  • Social withdrawal
  • Delusions

 

TREATMENT OPTIONS

 Focused on maintaining quality of life.

 Focused on alleviating symptoms, not curing.

  • Occupational Therapy
  • Supplements
  • Exercise
  • Aromatherapy
  • Art therapy
  • Effective care
  • Good routine and sleep

 

Fortunately, there are ways to combat Dementia, for more information on that we recommend you speak to your doctor.

However, if you are not sure if its necessary, here’s another website that may give you further insight; What’s the Difference?: Age-Related Memory Loss vs. Dementia (presbyterianhomes.org)

 

Posted with permission from Is it Forgetfulness Or Is It Dementia? – Silver Lining Home Healthcare (silverlininghealthcare.com)

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