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Alzheimer’s vs Dementia: What’s the Difference

Donna Nichols • September 7, 2021

Dementia is the term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia.

Alzheimer’s is a specific disease. Dementia is not a disease.

What's the difference between alzheimer's and dementia

What is Dementia

Dementia represents symptoms associated with a decline in memory, reasoning or other thinking skills. There are many types of dementia and many factors lead to its cause. Mixed dementia is a condition in which brain changes of more than one type of dementia occur at the same time.

Dementia is not a normal part of aging.

It is caused by damage to brain cells that affects their ability to communicate, which can affect thinking, behavior and feelings.

A disorder grouped as dementia is caused by abnormal brain changes; these changes cause a decline in thinking skills severe enough to interfere with your daily life and independence. These changes also affect your behaviors, feelings and relationships.

Before dementia was understood as it is now, which still isn’t very good, is was considered a normal aging process and referred to as senile. Dementia is NOT a normal aging process, so if you notice any signs and symptoms, please seek medical attention immediately.

Signs of dementia can vary greatly. Examples include:

  • Problems with short-term memory.
  • Keeping track of a purse or wallet.
  • Paying bills.
  • Planning and preparing meals.
  • Remembering appointments.
  • Traveling out of the neighborhood.

Many conditions start out slowly and gradually get worse. If you do find yourself at the point of having to place your loved one in a memory care facility please don’t hesitate to give us a call. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing memory difficulties or other changes in thinking skills, don’t ignore them!

Early detection is key!

Explaining Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases.

Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disease that is caused by complex brain changes following cell damage.

It leads to dementia symptoms that gradually worsen over time.

The most common early symptom of Alzheimer’s is trouble remembering new information because the disease usually targets the part of the brain related to learning first.

As Alzheimer’s advances, symptoms get more severe and include disorientation, confusion and behavior changes. Eventually, speaking, swallowing and walking become difficult.

Though the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s is aging, the disease is not a normal part of getting older. And although most people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older, younger-onset Alzheimer’s has become more prevalent with approximately 200,000 Americans under 65 years-old suffering.

Signs of Alzheimer’s disease are:

  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life
  • Challenges in planning or solving problems
  • Difficulty completing familiar tasks
  • Confusion with time or place
  • Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
  • New problems with words in speaking or writing
  • Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
  • Decreased or poor judgment
  • Withdrawal from work or social activities
  • Changes in mood and personality

If you notice any of the symptoms in yourself or someone you know, PLEASE seek the help of a medical professional!! Early detection is the KEY!!

If you are caring for someone suffering with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia, we hold 3 caregiver support groups a month. Please don’t go it alone, we are here for you!!

If you’re looking for other senior living articles and resources then click here.

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Make Valentine’s Day Special for Seniors

By Donna Nichols • February 5, 2025
Valentine’s Day tends to zero in on romantic love, but what about our seniors? They too often get forgotten. We have some ways to make Valentine’s Day special for them too. Spend the day with your loved one. Spending quality time with a loved one is more important to a senior than anything else. There is no greater gift than time and please make sure you have enough, so you are not rushed. Do your elderly loved one have a favorite meal? Perhaps you can prepare it for them, or if they are able, you can prepare it together. How fun would that be for you both? Be sure to discuss the enjoyment it brought you while you are sharing the meal together. How about a game of name that love song? You could prepare a playlist of love songs from the generation and play them to see how many they get correct. Or, if you can sing, you can sing some for them and see if they can recollect them. Take some time for reminiscing, go through old photo albums, or ask about old times. Ask them about when you were young and what trouble you caused; this will give you all something to laugh (or cry) about. Has your loved one been cooped up all winter? Take them out for a nice lunch, or weather permitting, a picnic in the park. Go for coffee and a donut, then head out to see a movie. Make a “date” of it. Maybe your senior is into crafts. You can design special Valentine’s Day cards for other family members. This way your senior can express their love for them and send it to them in their own unique way. You can create other greeting cards as well. Bake some special treats together. Does your senior have some favorite cookies or cake? You could bake it together, or you can bake it for them. Then you can enjoy it after you have the meal you prepared together. Yummy, delicious!! You can watch some romantic movies together if they prefer to stay in the house or the weather isn’t so good. If they like to color, you can buy them some of those large coloring books and you can color together. Don’t forget the decorations and the flowers! Make the house or apartment as festive as possible. Even if they live in as assisted living community, you can still decorate their room to the nines! Make it as festive as possible! If you live in another state or can’t be close to your senior for Valentine’s Day, how about sending them a specially crafted care package. You can hand make some gifts, add some photos of family and friends, and send a personally recorded message. You can bake some homemade treats and incorporate some things that are of personal interest to them. This will show how much you care for them and make their Valentine’s Day extra special even if you can’t be with them.  There are so many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for seniors. Let’s not forget about them; make sure to show them they are so loved too!

February is National Heart Month

By Donna Nichols • February 4, 2025
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Hydration Tips for the Winter

By Donna Nichols • January 8, 2025
I’ve written many blogs about the importance of staying hydrated in the summer, but did you know it’s just as important to stay hydrated in the winter months? I’ve shared some important tips on how to stay hydrated in the winter and why. Cold, dry air can dehydrate you easily and quickly. Even if you don’t feel thirsty. Proper hydration can help regulate your body temperature, maintain healthy organ function, and prevent fatigue, dry skin, and headaches. In the colder months, you do not feel thirsty, that’s why it’s so important to make sure you drink plenty of water. Why is winter hydration so important? Colder air tends to be drier causing moisture to evaporate through your breathing which can cause dehydration. In colder weather, you may not feel as thirsty, causing you to become dehydrated quickly. Also, wearing more clothing traps sweat inside your clothing causing more fluid loss. What are some of the benefits of staying hydrated in the winter? • Drinking enough water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents dryness. This will help with that dry, itchy skin feeling we all get in the winter. • Water helps your body maintain a regular core temperature. Which is so important to maintain in the winter. • Drinking plenty of water supports your immune system, which helps fight off winter colds and the flu. We all want to fight those germs off! • When you are dehydrated, you become tired easily, so drinking plenty of water helps keep your energy levels up. How do you stay hydrated in the winter? • Make sure you drink plenty of water. Set reminders if you must; you probably won’t feel as thirsty in the winter, but you need to keep drinking that water! • You don’t have to drink cold water; room temperature water works. You can also drink tea or water with lemon, as long as you’re getting your water. • If you’re going out, carry a water bottle with you to ensure you have water to drink. • Eat fruits and vegetables that contain water. Tomatoes, lettuce, strawberries, watermelon, cauliflower, mushrooms, cucumber, apples, and pineapple are just a few that contain high water contents. • If you think you’re dehydrated, check your urine; if it’s a darker color, that can suggest dehydration. Urine should be a pale, yellow color. As you can see, staying hydrated in the winter is just as important as staying hydrated in the summer, if not more. In the winter you don’t realize you are thirsty therefore you tend not to drink as much water as you should. This has the potential of wreaking havoc on your body. Please make sure you drink plenty of water in the wintertime as you do in the summertime. We have rebranded our company, we are now Assisted Senior Services! Call us for ANYTHING SENIOR!! 386-847-2322!
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