Here’s a fact you may not have known, there are over 200 subtypes of dementia. The one you might be most familiar with is Alzheimer’s. One thing most of them have in common is short-term memory loss. And the stereotype that only older people can get dementia is just a stereotype.
Did you know that children as young as two years old could be diagnosed with a form of dementia? It’s one of the many facts that people learned during the Dementia Caregiver Program at the Roby Fitzgerald Adult Center on Thursday, August 29th, 2024, presented by Tracey Kendall Wilson, Regional Director of Alzheimer’s Tennessee in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, and Hope Broyles, Community Liaison for Ballad Health Homecare.
The one-and-a-half-hour program was nearly not long enough to discuss the ins and outs of the diseases, but it was beneficial for caregivers and those alike. Tracey Wilson went into detail and gave examples of some of the most common subtypes like Alzheimer’s, Lewy body, Parkinson’s disease, Vascular, and Frontotemporal.
Dementia
Short term memory loss usually will come with a repetition of questions. An example Wilson gave is someone asking you a question multiple times, over and over again. For example, “What time are we leaving for my appointment?” “When is Susie coming?” The repetition is a common factor, although Wilson said everyone is different. Your language, how you process words, your thoughts and communication, mood, and behavioral expressions, they are all affected by this disease. Sometimes caregivers can cope with their loved one’s disease in unhealthy ways. Wilson said it’s important to know what you’re dealing with, know the symptoms, and get the right help. Medicine can often help with different types of dementia and can help improve quality of life.
Subtypes:
Alzheimer’s: This is the most common type and affects your memory, behavior, and thinking, enough to affect your daily life. Wilson said it’s most often misdiagnosed, and the dementia code should be more specific. It reportedly progresses slowly and worsens over time. Wilson explained it can start off with paranoia and people will think things are happening that aren’t. A person can have from 8-12 years of good times. The longest record of someone with Alzheimer’s is 27 years, according to Wilson.
Lewy body: Wilson says Lewy body actually has a bad rep. Robin Williams reportedly had Lewy body. Wilson explained with this type of Dementia, memory is typically pretty good, it’s the paranoia and confusion that can ruin someone’s quality of life. People with Lewy body have symptoms of hallucinating, it’s been described as a brain disorder by neurologists. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, LBD is a disease associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These deposits, called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain. The changes can lead to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, mood, and other body functions. Wilson said with this disease, medicine can help for quality of life.
Parkinses: This disorder affects your nervous system. According to the National Institute of Aging, Parkinson’s disease occurs when nerve cells in the basal ganglia, an area of the brain that controls movement, become impaired and/or die. Parkinses can give you tremors, slow movement, mobility issues, trouble with sleeping, muscle stiffness, memory loss, delusional thoughts, hallucinations, and depression. Wilson said sometimes it starts with motor movement before incorrect thoughts and affects your quality of life. Medicine can help with tremors.
Vascular: According to Wilson, this type are results of a kidney disorder. She said 85% of people who had a heart attack, stroke, a heart related event, or diabetes, can get Vascular Dementia. It can reportedly start to affect the brain within two years. Wilson said 15% of people can get back to their normal self. Memory is usually up and down, she explained it’s because of the amount of oxygen the brain is getting. People can stumble on words, be nit-picky, there’s mood fluctuations and emotional irritability. Wilson said some can really go from 0 to 60 in a couple minutes. It’s more verbalized and you lose your neurotransmitters.
Frontotemporal: She described this as the most complicated subtype. Your frontal and temporal lobes are affected, and the front of your brain, it’s basically non-existent. She explained this is the part of your brain that keeps you out of jail and your impulse is off. It’s the type of disease that you’ll question someone and ask, what is wrong with you? When in theory, there literally is something wrong with them. Many never even know that they have it. It can cause a lot of anger between loved ones and resentment, along with other subtypes. Symptoms include unusual/inappropriate behaviors (such as child pornography), emotional problems, lack of judgement, trouble communicating, challenges with work, movement issues and difficulty with walking. Some symptoms can be similar to Autism.
Living with dementia is difficult and being a caregiver is just as hard. Sometimes you can question yourself and start thinking you’re losing it, but the feeling is common. There are resources and Alzheimer’s TN can be the start to a better quality of life. There are more opportunities to learn more about what you can do as a caregiver for yourself and your loved ones. There will also be opportunities to educate yourself on the different subtypes and how you can get a diagnosis.
A group meets at Peggy Ann Bakery in Greeneville at 2 PM each second Wednesday of the month. There are even virtual and in-person sessions you can set up. For more information, call 423-232-8993.
