Dementia

Lewy Body Dementia

Also known as “cortical Lewy body disease” or “diffuse Lewy body disease,” Lewy body dementia is the second-most common cause of dementia. It affects about 1.4 million Americans age 50 and older.

The cause of Lewy body dementia is unknown. Experts believe it’s closely linked to AD because people who have Lewy bodies (abnormal groups of protein in nerve cells) in their brains also have the plaques and tangles associated with AD.

Common symptoms of Lewy body dementia include:

• Visual hallucinations
• Movement disorders (rigid muscles, tremors)
• Poor regulations of body function
• Poor or impaired judgment
• Problems with abstract thinking
• Changes in sleeping patterns
• Depression

Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia, also known as “multi-infarct dementia” or “post-stroke dementia,” is the third-most common type of dementia. It can develop after a stroke blocks an artery in your brain. However, strokes don’t always cause vascular dementia. Whether a stroke affects your thinking and reasoning depends on its severity and location.

Vascular dementia can also result from other conditions that damage blood vessels and reduce circulation. These conditions can keep your brain from getting the vital oxygen and nutrients it needs to function properly.

Vascular dementia symptoms vary, depending on the part of your brain where blood flow was impaired. Symptoms can develop suddenly or over a long period of time. Often, symptoms overlap with those of other types of dementia – especially Alzheimer’s disease.

Common symptoms of vascular dementia include:

• Memory loss that affects daily living
• Difficulty performing familiar tasks
• Poor or impaired judgment
• Problems with organizing thoughts
• Decrease ability to analyze situations
• Changes in mood, behavior or personality
• Sudden or frequent urge to urinate or inability to control passing urine
• Depression

Mixed Dementia

Mixed dementia is a condition in which the abnormal protein deposits associated with AD coexist with blood vessel conditions linked to vascular dementia, or with the Lewy bodies of Lewy body dementia. In some cases, people have all three brain changes.

Symptoms of mixed dementia vary, depending on the types of brain changes involved and the brain regions that are affected. In many cases, symptoms may be similar to – or even the same as – those of AD or another type of dementia.

If you’ve been recently diagnosed with dementia, it’s normal to feel a wide range of emotions – everything from fear and frustration to loneliness and depression. But there’s much you can do to cope with, and help manage, its early stages.

These strategies can help you cope with dementia:

• Stay connected. Join a support group to meet other people who share your diagnosis, and to learn more about the disease.
• Take care of your physical well-being. This means eating healthy, exercising regularly and getting enough sleep. 
• Take care of your mental well-being. Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being. Managing your stress can help put your mind at ease and give you the tools you need to cope with a dementia diagnosis. Consider taking a mindfulness-based stress reduction class.
• Develop a daily routine. Although variety and stimulation are important, too much change at once can be confusing if you have dementia. 
• Create a dementia-friendly environment. This can include organizing your belongings in a way that makes finding items you use daily easy. 
• Keep a journal. Writing down your thoughts, feelings and emotions can be an effective way to cope with dementia. Writing things down can help reduce stress and improve your health and well-being.
• Maintain your favorite activities and hobbies. Continuing to participate in your favorite activities and hobbies can help you maintain your independence.

A dementia diagnosis can be difficult – for the person with the disease, as well as for family members. Caring for a loved one who has dementia can impact every aspect of your life. It can leave you feeling fearful, lonely or frustrated. But your care can make the biggest difference to your loved one’s quality of life. Just remember that you cannot help someone else without taking care of yourself first.

Here are some things you can try:

• Make your own health a priority.
• Reach out to trusted friends and family members. 
• Learn as much as you can about dementia. 
• Join a support group. 
• Learn to manage your stress. 
• Ask for help.

Regardless of whether you or your loved one has dementia, coping with the disease can be overwhelming. But you don’t have to “go it alone.” Parkview Behavioral Health offers Parkview BridgeWays, an inpatient program, and Parkview LifeBridge Senior Program, a short-term community-based program to assist individuals and families affected by dementia.