As we age, it's normal to have some memory loss. In fact it's rather sobering to consider that we're all 'graded on a curve' after the age of 29. This is when our human RAM memory, called working memory, starts its decline and the curve slopes more downward through the remaining decades of our lives. I used to be able to remember a phone number - area code and all, after seeing or hearing it once. Not anymore. I'm much more tied to lists, electronic reminders, and I would be totally screwed if I didn't have Google calendar synched to more devices than I care to count (that's a Blog entry for another time). With normal aging, we usually remember what we've forgotten when prompted. Partner: "Did you remember to get the milk?" For those of us middle aged and beyond: "Oh, I forgot; I'll go get it." It's normal, too, in middle age to sometimes not recognize things that we've written down, or conversations that we've had with other people. It is both consoling and disconcerting to be reassured that this so-called normal memory loss that is part of the aging process.
Dementia is altogether different. Think of dementia like the generic concept of a photocopier. There are lots of brands of photocopiers just like there's lots of different kinds of dementia. Alzheimer's is by far the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of the cases of dementia, which is why it's a more recognized household word. Other kinds of dementia include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, fronto-temporal dementia, and scores of other kinds of less-commonly occurring dementias.Contrary to popular belief, dementia is not just a problem in the elderly. It can occur in people as young as their mid 30's, and many cases of early onset dementia have been recorded and are being studied in clinical research trials.
Core symptoms of dementia can include two or more of the following: problems with memory, communication and language, ability to focus and pay attention, reasoning and judgment as well as visual perception problems. These problems were not always present, such as when the person was growing up or in young adulthood. When you're close to someone with dementia, there's usually a much bigger pit in your stomach as you witness the onset of symptoms. You are asked the same thing repeatedly within a relative short span of time. Speech can become less fluent, there's a fair amount of word finding problems (far more than the occasional word finding problem or problem remembering people's names which is normal aging). The person can be confused about what he/she was doing and they may ask you to repeat what you have just said a lot. This is because their ability to pay attention has diminished greatly.
If you suspect dementia in either yourself or a loved one, get a referral to a neurologist, preferably one who specializes in dementia. A good medical work up is essential. There are some dementias which are cause by vitamin deficiencies and these can be reversed and corrected. Others can be slowed down and managed better with early detection and early intervention. In addition to a medical work up, there is also neuro-psychological testing which measures memory functioning relative to one's age, thinking and reasoning skills, and a host of other mental functions.
If dementia is diagnosed, get affiliated with a good memory care clinic at a medical center near you. Social / emotional support is very important for both the person with dementia as well as for the caregiver(s) in addition to good on-going medical care.
We encourage people in the Chicagoland area to come to our practice, Heritage Professional Associates, for a brief memory screening for the following reasons: 1) if you're at risk for dementia (many people in your family have it); 2) you're wanting to know if your memory functioning is age typical or not; 3) you've noticed some recent changes; 4) or, you simply would like a baseline measure of your memory functioning to be used for comparison with future memory assessments. A brief work-up consists of an interview and some testing using screening measures. Outside of the Chicago area, ask your primary care physician or internist for the name of a reputable person who can provide such screenings.
