Rehab Select Blog

Dementia is a term used to describe a variety of disorders that are caused by severe changes in the brain, especially areas of the brain related to language, memory, reasoning and decision-making.

These changes cause memory loss, changes in behavior and personality, and difficulty in performing basic day-to-day tasks and activities, among other symptoms.

Dementia is a brain disorder that results in the gradual loss of cognitive functioning, including thinking, memory and reasoning skills, that interferes with a persons daily life and activities.

While dementia is most common among older people, it is not a normal part of aging. Signs and symptoms of dementia begin to appear when nerve cells, called neurons, stop working.

We all lose a certain number of neurons with aging, but people with dementia lose many more than the average person. So what are the telltale signs and symptoms of dementia?

Communication typically becomes progressively more difficult for people who suffer with Alzheimer’s disease. If you are caring for elderly parents who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, you may notice that they struggle to find the right words as they try to express themselves, ask questions, or answer them.

Alzheimer's disease, while most difficult for the person who has the disease, is very hard on their family as well. It is often referred to as a family disease, due to the affects it has on an Alzheimer’s patient’s loved ones as they witness and manage the long, slow process of decline that is the hallmark of this disease.

If your family is caring for elderly parents or other loved ones affected by the disease, here are some tips on coping with Alzheimer’s in your family.

If you are concerned that an aging parent seem more forgetful than usual or perhaps a bit confused, discussing those concerns with them is important for a number of reasons.

Perhaps the most important of these is that such symptoms should be evaluated by your parent’s healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Communication problems are one of the most common issues faced by people who suffer from dementia. They may have trouble following a conversation due to an inability to stay focused or memory problems. They may have difficulty answering questions due to a decline in reasoning skills and/or judgment. They may also have word retrieval issues, making them unable to find the right words to express themselves at times.

Becoming a caregiver for an elderly relative can be a long and gradual process as that person slowly loses function and independence, or it can be a sudden change after an injury or medical event, such as a fall, stroke, heart attack, or illness.

However, if it is happening for you, chances are good that you have entered uncharted territory by taking on this new role in your loved one’s life.

Whether you are a primary caregiver or part of a group of family members working together to provide their care, when caring for elderly parents, stress is part of the package.

Often, there is conflict in the family, as various members struggle to find their place in the care/support structure for elderly parents. Disagreements can happen surrounding care decisions, causing conflict among family members, and financial stress is often a factor.

Dementia is a very difficult disease. It is, of course, most difficult for the people afflicted with it, but the difficulty of dealing with dementia in a parent runs a very close second.

This is especially true if you are a caregiver for that parent. On top of the emotional stress that comes with watching your parent’s health and cognitive function slipping away, there is the mental and physical strain of handling the anxiety, depression, forgetfulness, impaired judgment, agitation and other behavioral issues and symptoms that are characteristic of dementia on a daily basis.

Caring for your parents as they age can be a very complicated and emotionally fraught task for all involved. Managing things like healthcare, finances and safety for the Mom and Dad who once took care of such things for you can be difficult on a variety of levels.

As difficult as it may be for you, it is important to be aware that it may be much more so on your aging parents as your roles in the family dynamic essentially become reversed.