Dementia vs. Depression in Seniors: How to Tell the Difference
Did you know that many seniors in Fayetteville, NC, are living with depressive symptoms? According to the National Council on Aging, or NCOA, up to 5% of older adults in the general community deal with major depression.
Fayetteville is a great place to live for people dealing with senior mental health battles and cognitive decline. Our lovely community fills the day with rich history, beautiful landscapes, and a populace as eager to brighten your day as ever. But how can you manage the emotional changes in aging?
In the conversation of dementia vs. depression, highlighting memory loss is vital. Read on for a quick overview of both and the key signs.
Why the Confusion?
To start, why is anyone mixing up depression and dementia? On the surface, these are completely separate conditions that don't seem like they have much overlap.
The reality is that there's a great deal of overlap between depression and dementia. Both of them have several significant and similar symptoms that present unique challenges to individuals and are often best handled by memory care professionals.
Making matters worse is that one can exacerbate the other. Sufferers of dementia often develop depression as a result. Similarly, depression can weaken the cognitive functions of the patient enough to trigger dementia symptoms.
According to the Alzheimer's Society, depression is highly common in people with dementia. Depression symptoms can make the already-challenging task of living with dementia more difficult. In many situations, cognitive decline can worsen memory loss symptoms while increasing the severity of depression symptoms.
In summary, depression and dementia are often intertwined with each other. One can cause the other, while both make it harder to handle each other. Many seniors battle one or both, making it important to understand depression's role.
What Is Dementia?
Dementia is a widely misunderstood disease in the elderly. Did you know that dementia doesn't refer to one disorder but is a blanket term for many?
According to the Alzheimer's Association, dementia is a general term that refers to the loss of memory and other cognitive functions. To qualify as dementia, something has to present as severe enough to interfere with daily life. It can also cause memory loss symptoms.
Some types of dementia include:
- Vascular
- Alzheimer's
- Lewy Body
- Frontotemporal
- Huntingtons
There's also the less common "mixed dementia." Mixed dementia occurs when someone suffers from several types of dementia. An assisted living resident with Lewy body and Alzheimer's, for example, would have mixed dementia.
Symptoms of Dementia
What symptoms should you expect from someone suffering from dementia? While every case is different, there are some symptoms that are generally universal. Here are some of the most common.
Issues With Short-Term Memory
One of the most common side effects of dementia is loss of short-term memory. Short-term memory, as the name implies, focuses on our ability to recall immediate information. That may include staying on task, remembering recently learned information, or recalling details from the current conversation.
It's important to note that dementia usually doesn't impact procedural memory. Procedural memory is in charge of our motor skills and conversational skills. However, severe dementia can impact long-term memory.
If a loved one seems to be struggling to stay on task, dementia could be the cause. Speak to a medical professional for a thorough diagnosis.
Frequently Losing Items
Along with an issue with short-term memory is trouble remembering where items have been placed. Most often, these are things like a purse or wallet, a remote, or medication.
It isn't that these particular items are affected. Rather, it's that these are items we deal with constantly. Since we see them more often, we have more chances to lose them.
If a loved one loses their purse a few times, don't jump straight to severe dementia. Rather, keep track of how often such things are occurring.
Significant Mood Changes
Dementia and depression often combine to cause significant mood changes. According to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada, these symptoms often include forgetfulness, confusion, and extreme anxiety.
If your loved one is experiencing significant mood changes, consider all the reasons this could be. Don't hesitate to include dementia as a root cause.
What Is Depression?
With dementia better outlined, what is depression? How do these disorders combine for dementia vs. depression?
Depression, like dementia, is a bit of a blanket term. Depression can come in many forms and is often paired (or confused) with anxiety disorders. Some types of depression include:
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Persistent Depressive Disorder
- Seasonal Depression
A dementia patient could suffer from any of these, compounding their dementia symptoms. Because symptoms are so similar, it's often difficult to see where one disorder starts and the other ends, so to speak.
Symptoms of Depression
What are some of the most common symptoms of depression? While it varies from case to case, here are some of the most common
Overwhelming Fatigue
One of the most notable symptoms of depression is fatigue. Many seniors already deal with low energy levels, making fatigue a significant issue.
This also often accompanies a change in appetite. Among the emotional changes in aging, these memory loss symptoms are made considerably worse when even leaving bed feels like a gargantuan task.
Confidence and Competency Issues
Among the emotional changes in aging, cognitive decline often leads to confidence issues. Something as simple as Alzheimer's vs. mood disorders won't summarize such a personal issue.
Depression often causes issues with confidence and concerns over competency. Given that many seniors already deal with these symptoms, it's a nefarious combination.
Dementia vs. Depression
Understanding the differences between dementia vs. depression is exceptionally difficult. These conditions are often intertwined, making it impossible to tell which is causing which symptom.
As such, it's strongly recommended that you take any such concerns to a medical professional. While there are many holistic and wholesome treatments, many symptoms are best handled by medical professionals who can help you personalize treatment.
Here in Fayetteville, NC, TerraBella Fayetteville is proud to serve our community and seniors. We proudly offer amenities such as chef-prepared dining, an enriching social calendar, and savings tailored toward our brave veterans. Contact us today to see how we can help you improve your golden years.