Ten Tips for Caring for a Loved One with Dementia from Intermountain Health

There are over 55 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2020. This number is expected to almost double every 20 years.

“Dementia is an umbrella term for types of diseases or syndromes where there is impairment in the memory and cognition or thinking parts of the brain. There are many different types of dementia. And there are many diseases that can result in dementia,” said Angel Lybbert, MD, a geriatrician with Intermountain Utah Valley Senior Medicine Clinic.

The difference between Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia

• Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disease that is caused by complex brain changes following cell damage. It leads to dementia symptoms that gradually worsen over time. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.

• Vascular dementia – a blood vessels disease that results in reduced blood flow to various regions of the brains. Effects can include mini-strokes and strokes.

• Lewy body disease – symptoms can include movement changes, sleep changes, hallucinations, or visual symptoms. It can look like Parkinson’s disease.

• Frontal temporal dementia – affects younger people. Symptoms can include personality or language changes.

People can have more than one type of dementia. They also can have simple mild cognitive impairment – which means there are changes in the brain that are greater than average, but not enough where it affects function.

Early diagnosis of dementia is important

“If you think you or a loved one may be experiencing some memory issues, it’s important to see your doctor and get evaluated and know about types of treatment. Early treatment can be key as some of the newer medications might only be covered by Medicare or insurance if Alzheimer’s is in a mild or early phase, for example,” said Dr. Lybbert.

“Normal aging affects memory and cognition to some extent. For example, older people may have trouble remembering names or have a slower processing time when thinking.

Memory problems become a concern if a person’s short-term memory is not good. For example: if they’re asking the same questions over and over, lose track of taking their medications, or have difficulty navigating while driving, or managing finances,” she added.

Seeing a geriatrician can be very helpful for people over 65 or who have multiple chronic conditions or medications. A geriatrician can help screen for dementia and help patients prepare for any future diagnoses.

“Medications are just one part of a patient’s care plan. The other big part of care is educating the person about their disease and supporting the patient and their partner or loved ones to help them adapt and adjust to their diagnosis,” said Dr. Lybbert.

“The more you know about a disease, the more you can learn to manage some of the symptoms without medicine, and the better it can be for your loved one. There are things you can do to maximize brain health, and we can help recommend diets and lifestyle changes,” she added.

Geriatricians can help families understand what to do at home and identify and address any safety issues. They work with patients to understand what their health goals are and make a plan to get there. They also can help treat symptoms of mood and behavior.

10 tips for communicating with someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia

1. Never argue. Instead agree
2. Never reason. Instead divert.
3. Never shame. Instead distract.
4. Never lecture. Instead reassure.
5. Never say remember. Instead reminisce.
6. Never say I told you. Instead repeat.
7. Never say “You can’t.” Instead say what they can do.
8. Never demand. Instead ask.
9. Never condescend. Instead encourage
10. Never force. Instead reinforce.

“Dementia is one of the most feared diagnoses. It can feel like the disease is taking more than our health, because our minds are integral to who we are. Having family or a core group of support in the early stages is essential and provides great benefits. Have people learn with you as you go along after a diagnosis,” said Dr. Lybbert.

She recommends if you’re caring for a loved one with dementia, make sure to take care of yourself and your own physical and mental health. Get respite care, join a support group. Reach out to your provider to ask questions.

For more information or to find a geriatric provider, click here. For up-to-date information and announcements please see the Intermountain Health newsroom at https://news.intermountainhealth.org.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.