September marks the start of World Alzheimer’s Month. So here are a few things you should know about the disease.
1) September 21st is World Alzheimer’s Day
2) There is a difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia. Dementia is a brain disorder that affects communication and performance of daily activities. Dementia is an umbrella term for a set of symptoms including impaired thinking and memory loss. Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that specifically affects parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. In different types of dementia there is damage to different parts of the brain.
3) Alzheimer’s disease is a common cause of dementia causing as many as 50 to 70% of all dementia cases. Alzheimer’s is not a reversible disease. It is degenerative and incurable at this time. Some forms of dementia, such as a drug interaction or a vitamin deficiency, are actually reversible or temporary.
4) Dementia is not a natural part of ageing and it doesn’t just affect older people. Over 40,000 people under 65 in the UK have dementia.
5) Dementia is not just about memory loss, someone with dementia may also experience difficulties concentrating, problems planning and thinking things through, struggling with familiar daily tasks, issues with language and communication, problems judging distances, mood changes and difficulties controlling emotions.
6) People can still live well with dementia. You can find out more about this on the Alzheimer’s Society website.
