Bursack: Dementia not always Alzheimer’s

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Dear Carol: My dad is having memory problems and he and Mom argue about whether he should have a checkup. He says nothing can be done, even if he has dementia. My grandmother had dementia, but not Alzheimer’s as far as I know. What is the difference between the two? Will it hurt my dad to wait for a checkup? – Rita

Dear Rita: Yes, your dad needs a checkup. It’s no longer true that nothing can be done to help him if he does have dementia. However, he may not. It could be that medications he’s taking are causing dementia symptoms. He could have a nutritional problem, such as low B12 levels. This is reversible for a time, but damage can be done over a long period that will make a recovery unlikely.

If he has a proper checkup and the diagnosis is dementia, then there are mediations that help many people put off the worst of the cognitive decline for months or even years. Again, getting a diagnosis early will give his doctor a better chance of helping him. Also, though everyone should have their power of attorney, will and health directive in place, someone who may have dementia needs to get this done sooner rather than later. He wants to have the documents ready so his family can help him through the dementia journey. It becomes increasingly difficult to get these documents drawn up after dementia is diagnosed.

Your second question about the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia is a common one. There is so much publicity about Alzheimer’s awareness (a good thing), that people get confused. Alzheimer’s disease is one type of dementia. It’s considered the most common type, with 60 to 70 percent of dementias showing up as Alzheimer’s. The second most common is vascular dementia, followed by many other less common types. These different types of dementia underscore the urgency of getting tested if there is reason to suspect dementia.

Stop Senior Hunger: Comfort Keepers nationwide is working with their local food banks for a Stop Senior Hunger campaign targeted for seniors age 65 or older and/or their caregivers.

Locally, they will be working with the Great Plains Food Bank to develop food collection sites. The food will be distributed to agencies in the F-M area that work with seniors. Comfort Keepers will also be working on educating seniors and their caregivers about good nutrition for seniors. This could possibly become a yearlong event. For more information, call (701) 237-0004 or go to www.stopseniorhunger.com.

Bursack is the author of “Minding Our Elders,” a support book on family elder care, and maintains a Web site at www.mindingourelders.com. To view past columns, go to www.inforum.com and click on columnists. Readers can reach Bursack at carol@mindingourelders.com or write her at The Forum, Box 2020, Fargo, ND 58107

Tags: carol bradley bursack, minding our elders, senior living, dementia, columns, health, life