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​​The text on this page is taken from the booklet "Caring for Dementia - Dementia Carers' Pathways Devon". We recommend obtaining a copy from the Memory Café in Torrington.
Please note: a new and updated version of this booklet is available to read, in PDF format, here:
https://devoncarers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/living-with-dementia-booklet.pdf

Diagnosis and Understanding Dementia

Diagnosis

Because you are reading this you, or someone you care for, will have had a clear and early diagnosis of an illness which might lead to dementia. The importance of an early diagnosis cannot be over emphasised.

An early diagnosis is essential to:-
  • Access advice, information and support from social services, voluntary agencies and support groups.
  • Allow the person with dementia to plan and make arrangements for the future.
  • Identify the type of dementia. This is becoming increasingly important as drugs for treating different conditions become available.

A doctor should have eliminated any physical causes which might mimic a symptom of dementia. These could include a urinary tract infection, chest infection, substance abuse (drugs or alcohol) or mental health conditions such as severe depression.

During the course of dementia your main point of contact for NHS help and support will be your doctor (GP) who will be able to help you access a range of services, including specialist community services that provide individual assessment, interventions and support, including memory clinics. You will find extensive references to other services throughout this pathway.

Understanding dementia

Although widely quoted the term dementia, technically, does not describe an actual illness. It describes a set of symptoms which might be brought about by one or more illnesses which might affect the brain. These symptoms might involve significant short term memory loss, disorientation or mood swings.

Unfortunately, dementia is progressive and currently there is no positive cure. Drugs are constantly being developed to modify the symptoms. How fast dementia progresses will depend upon the individual. Each person is unique and the course of their dementia will take an individual pathway.

Research has shown that the three main types of illness which may lead to dementia are:-

Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease, first described by the German neurologist Alois Alzheimer, is a physical disease affecting the brain. During the course of the disease 'plaques and 'tangles' develop in the structure of the brain, leading to the death of brain cells.

We also know that people with Alzheimer's have a shortage of some important chemicals in the brain. These chemicals are involved with the transmission of messages within the brain. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease which means that gradually, over time more parts of the brain are damaged, as this happens the symptoms become more severe.
Vascular dementia

To be healthy and function properly, the brain cells need a good supply of blood. The blood is delivered through a network of blood vessels called the vascular system. If the vascular system within the brain becomes damaged and the blood cannot reach the brain cells they will eventually die. This can lead to the onset of vascular dementia.

There are a number of conditions that can cause or increase damage to the vascular system. These include high blood pressure, heart problems, high cholesterol and diabetes. It is therefore important that these conditions are identified and treated at the earliest opportunity.

Dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies is a progressive disease. This means that over time the symptoms will become worse. In general, dementia with Lewy bodies progresses at about the same rate as Alzheimer's disease, typically over several years.
People with dementia with Lewy bodies may display some symptoms of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
  • They often experience the memory loss, spatial disorientation and communication difficulties associated with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
  • They may also develop the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including slowness, muscle stiffness, trembling of the limbs, a tendency to shuffle when walking, loss of facial expression and changes in the strength and tone of the voice.

​There are also symptoms that are characteristic of dementia with Lewy bodies. People may:-
  • ​Find that their abilities fluctuate daily, even hourly.
  • Faint, fall or have 'funny turns'.
  • Experience detailed and convincing visual hallucinations, often of people or animals.
  • Fall asleep very easily by day and have restless disturbed nights with confusion, nightmares and hallucinations.
Further information
Dementia Guide - from the NHS
Publications about dementia - from the Alzheimer's Society