Aiming to replace stigma with understanding, World Alzheimer’s Month is being observed in September with the theme, Remember Me. People are sharing favorite memories, or memories of a loved one, on social media all month with the hashtags #RememberMe #WAM2016.
What is commonly referred to as Alzheimer’s disease is actually dementia and is made up of a number of conditions that can cause similar symptoms. Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia make up to 90% of cases of dementia.
What are the signs?
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. Typically, it begins with lapses of memory or difficulty in finding the right words for everyday objects. It can include confusion, personality changes and mood swings. As it progresses, you may also notice unusual behavior, like getting up in the middle of the night or wandering off and becoming lost. They may also lose their inhibitions and undress in public or make inappropriate sexual advances.
Vascular dementia is less common than Alzheimer’s disease and accounts for 20%-30% of all cases of dementia. It often has a clear start date and symptoms tend to progress in a series of steps. You may observe severe depression, mood swings and epilepsy. At the same time, some mental abilities may be relatively unaffected. Vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease frequently occur together and they may often act in combination to cause dementia.
Learn more about World Alzheimer’s Month.
Are you caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or other aging issues? Click here for information on the upcoming Caregiver’s Conference.
