A basic fact sheet offering information about dementia.

1. According to Alzheimer’s Research
UK, 25 million people in the UK have
a family member with dementia.
When a loved-one is diagnosed with
dementia, one of the first steps in
coping is to get informed about the
illness, its symptoms and its known
causes.
Known Causes:
Dementia refers to a set of symptoms, which
Dementia Symptoms: can occur for a number of reasons.
The Mayo Clinic lists the
According to the Alzheimer's Society, there are
following as symptoms of several different types of dementia, including
dementia: vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies
and Fronto-temporal dementia. Alzheimer’s
• Memory loss Disease is the most common cause of dementia.
• Trouble communicating
Vascular dementia is the result of a lack in the
• Trouble planning/organising
brain’s blood supply. Risk factors include
• Trouble with coordination, diabetes and obesity.
motor functions
• Inability to reason Dementia with Lewy bodies refers to dementia
• Changes in personality caused by circular lumps of protein – known as
• Paranoia Lewy bodies - forming on the inside of the
brain.
• Increased agitation
• Hallucinations Fronto-temporal dementia occurs when the
• Inappropriate behaviour temporal lobe and the frontal lobe incur damage
and shrinking. Around half of Fronto-temporal
dementia cases are the result of an inherited
genetic mutation.
Information/Support:
• More information on dementia care
• The Alzheimer’s Society National Helpline
• Information on Carers Trust local support groups for carers in the UK
Image via Judeah Zalcofski via Pinterest