Expert: Paula Damgaard - 11/12/2003

Question
My daughter is dating a guy who has a mom with Alzheimer. Right now no questions about it except that what is the difference between dimentia (sp) and true alzheimer?  thanks..  

Answer
Faye,  in a short answer:  no difference it is the same thing.

Long answer:  The correct term of Alzheimer's is Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type.  There are many forms of dementia which have been discovered since Dr. Alzheimer's discovered this disease in 1906.  He discovered the disease in a 47 year old woman so therefore people thought that the disease only occured in younger people.  It wasn't until the early 80's that scientists started doing autopsies on older demented, senile, hardening of the arteries, patients that they found  that the plagues and tangles that Dr. Alzheimer's discovered in 1906 were occuring in these older people.  That was also when the Alzheimer's Assoc. started.  

Dementia is really just a catch phrase.  If someone is told they have dementia, it probably means that they have Alzheimer's.  The sad thing is that many doctors don't like to tell people that they have AD, so they say they are just having some dementia.  Unfortunately for those families, they then miss out on a lot of support systems that are set up for people with Alzheimer's.  They don't understand that any one with any type of dementia could use their resources.  

I hope this answers your question.  I wish your daughter's guy friend lots of luck.  He has a long road ahead of him.  Take Care.  Paula