An estimated 70,000 British Columbians are affected by dementia and the number is growing. What is dementia and why is it important to know the signs?
Dementia is a broad medical term used to describe a collection of symptoms that indicate physical damage in the brain. There are different types of dementia, such as vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type, accounting for the majority of all diagnoses. Dementia is progressive, which means the symptoms will gradually worsen as more brain cells become damaged and eventually die.
Common symptoms
Symptoms of dementia may include memory loss affecting day-to-day activities and difficulties performing familiar tasks or with abstract thinking and language. Other symptoms of dementia may be changes in mood and behaviour. These symptoms can be common warning signs of dementia, but they may also be due to other underlying medical conditions. This is why it is important to speak to your health-care provider to share your concerns.
“It is important for doctors to hear from family members about any day-to-day symptoms or other changes they are noticing. You can take detailed notes about things that are concerns for you – for example, if you or a family member gets lost coming home from the supermarket because none of the roads look familiar,” suggests Mary Beth Rutherford, Support & Education Coordinator, First Link®, at the Alzheimer Society of B.C.
The benefits of an early diagnosis
After getting a diagnosis, you will learn more about what to expect and how to access valuable support services for someone living with dementia as well as the people closest to them.
An earlier diagnosis can allow the person receiving it to become more actively involved in personal decisions, including health-care, legal and financial arrangements. It might allow them to make any wishes known to their family and friends and to focus on what is important to them, like travelling or deciding when to stop working.
There are currently no treatments that can reverse the cognitive decline brought on by dementia. But there may be medications to help manage symptoms and maintain quality of life. Talk to your health-care provider to learn more.
Finding support
The Alzheimer Society of B.C. is here to help anyone with concerns or questions about dementia. In addition to crucial emotional support and a listening ear, its First Link® Dementia Helpline offers callers information and resources about dementia, including practical strategies on a variety of topics, such as behavioural and communication challenges. The Helpline is available from Monday to Friday:
- English:
1-800-936-6033 (9 a.m. to 8 p.m.) - Cantonese or Mandarin:
1-833-674-5007 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) - Punjabi:
1-833-674-5003 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)