Difference between Dementia and Alzheimer's

Dementia is defined as a disorder of the brain which results in the deterioration or loss of functions such as memory, judgment, attentiveness, and other cognitive abilities. Dementia can interfere with an individual's capacity to perform daily functions independently. Dementia can be looked at as an umbrella term, for a group of illnesses with common features, rather than one particular illness. Types of dementias include Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease, as well as many others. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer's disease causes damage to brain cells over time and can cause symptoms such as memory loss, changes in mood and personality, inability to perform daily activities, loss of initiative, hallucinations and delusions, etc. If an individual is diagnosed as having a dementia, it is a very important to pursue further testing to determine the type of dementia he or she has in order to pursue the best possible treatment as soon as possible.

Hi Marla,

You've got an answer from the AFA, but I wanted to add a caregiver's perspective. I had four elders with dementia, and none were Alzheimer's. My dad's dementia was caused by surgery gone bad, my uncle's was caused by strokes (vascular dementia), and my mother and mother-in-law both had non-specific dementia. Alzheimer's is now getting the most attention from the public and press because of the hard work of organizations and people devoted to the cause. It is also considered the most common type. But there are many kinds of dementia, so a careful diagnosis must be made.

Carol