A Caregivers Guide: Overview of Dementia

Dementia is a broad term used to describe a decline in cognitive function severe enough to impact daily life. It affects memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.

• • Memory loss

• • Trouble with language and communication

• • Difficulty concentrating

• • Poor judgement

• • Problems reasoning

• • Child-like behavior and language

• • Anxiety and agitation

• • Personality or mood changes

Dementia itself isn’t a disease. It is a term used to describe symptoms that can be caused by many different conditions. All types of dementia fall into one of three groups:

• • Primary Dementia: Refers to dementia that is caused by diseases that directly affect the brain. It is progressive and typically irreversible as the brain undergoes structural and functional changes.

• • Secondary Dementia: Refers to dementia that occurs as a result of another underlying condition or illness that affects the brain, rather than being a primary brain disorder.

• • Reversible Dementia: Refers to conditions where dementia-like symptoms are present but can improve or even resolve entirely once the underlying cause is treated.

*Indicates most common forms of dementia. For additional information about these specific types, click here.

Dementia is a progressive disease, meaning that it worsens over time. In the early stages, people with dementia can stay safe and independent with some help. In later stages, they need help with daily tasks including, but not limited to, dressing, grooming, and using the bathroom. There are 3 main stages:

• Mild: Memory lapses, difficulty with complex tasks, noticeable personality changes, but the person remains mostly independent.
• Moderate: Increased confusion, difficulty with personal care (bathing, dressing), behavioral changes like agitation or suspicion, and possible wandering.
• Severe: Severe cognition decline, inability to communicate, loss of motor skills, and total dependence on caregivers.

The Functional Assessment Staging Tool (FAST) is a valuable dementia staging tool that can help you, as a caregiver, understand and track the stages of cognitive decline in your loved one. This tool further breaks down the stages of dementia and helps to provide a roadmap of what to expect as the disease progresses, allowing you to plan and adapt your dementia care strategies accordingly.