Living with Alzheimers Archives - Chaparral Winds Retirement Community

Lewy Body Dementia Vs Alzheimer's

Abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain are known causes of Lewy body dementia (LBD). The deposits, known as Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain, and can lead to alterations in mood, behavior and thinking.

So, how does this compare with Alzheimer’s disease? If you are searching for “lewy body dementia vs alzheimer’s“, this post will help!

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Lewy Body Dementia And Alzheimer’s Differences

Some of the main differences between LBD and Alzheimer’s include causes, amount of cases, physical movements, cognition, sleep behavior, hallucinations, facial expressions, disease progression and sex.

Causes

LBD is caused by the buildup of Lewy body proteins in the brain, while Alzheimer’s occurs when amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles within the brain.

Amount Of Cases

These two disorders differ in that one has many more known cases than the other. There are currently more than 5.5 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s. That’s compared to just 1.4 million diagnosed with LBD.

Physical Movements

One of the earliest signs of LBD is actually walking difficulty or struggling to balance. Alzheimer’s does not cause any physical deterioration, though.

Cognition

While both LBD and Alzheimer’s are known to cause confusion, memory lapses do not vary much from day to day with Alzheimer’s. LBD, though, can cause an individual’s memory to vary wildly from one day to the next.

Sleep Behavior

People with LBD can experience REM sleep behavior disorder. This is a dysfunction where individuals physically act out their dreams. This disorder does not typically occur to anyone battling Alzheimer’s.

Hallucinations

Visual hallucinations are actually quite common with LBD. While hallucinations will occur to someone with Alzheimer’s, it is not nearly as common as it is with LBD.

Facial Expressions

Individuals with LBD tend to show very little emotion in their faces. This tendency will not develop until the middle or late stages of Alzheimer’s.

Disease Progression

Studies have shown the survival rate after diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is typically 8.4 years. Survival rate after diagnosis of LBD is an average of 7.3 years.

Sex

Men have a higher chance of developing LBD, yet women have a higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s.

Lewy Body Dementia

What Is Lewy Body Dementia?

Lewy body dementia is one of most common causes of dementia, according to nia.nih.gov. Early signs of LBD can be confused with Alzheimer’s or even schizophrenia. LBD can either develop over time alone or in combination with other brain disorders.

There are two separate diagnoses of LBD. One is dementia with Lewy bodies, while the other is Parkinson’s disease dementia. Usually, over time individuals with either diagnosis will develop similar symptoms.

LBD is a progressive disease, which means it takes a long time for symptoms to develop and eventually worsen over time. The typical time span from diagnosis to death is 5 to 8 years, but data shows that a range of 2 to 20 years is possible.

First Signs Of Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy body dementia can be distinguished by three stages: early, middle and late. The first signs of LBD might involve some sort of hallucinations or delusions. These can cause individuals to act out dreams while sleeping. Early stages of LBD can also cause some movement difficulties.

In the early stages of LBD, memory tends to stay intact, but some confusion may be experienced. Mild cognitive changes can be noticed, as well. Another early sign is when an individual freezes in place or gets stuck frequently while doing something as routine as moving around the house.

What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease, just like LBD, affects thinking, behavior and memory. This is the most common of dementia, which is a generic term for memory loss. Alzheimer’s has been proven to cause up to 80% of all dementia cases, according to alz.org.

The majority of individuals that suffer from Alzheimer’s are aged 65 and above, but this is not simply something that affects older citizens. Like LBD, Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease with symptoms worsening over time.

Assisted Living Facilities in Arizona

Check out our independent living facilities in Arizona below:

Sedona Winds

Sedona Winds is an assisted living facility in Sedona, AZ. Sedona Winds offers activities at their facilities for its residents. We provide activities that allow residents to keep a healthy lifestyle by socializing with their peers and encouraging motion. Sedona Winds beautiful Assisted Living Community offers large studio & one-bedroom apartments with ample space for our resident’s belongings.

Address: 16623 N W Point Pkwy, Surprise, AZ 85374

Phone: (623) 975-0880

Desert Winds

Desert Winds is an assisted living community in Peoria, AZ. Our facility is a large sized assisted living community with 88 units. Communities this size usually offer one-bedroom apartments, multiple care levels, restaurant style dining, and a robust resident development program. Desert Winds wonderful Assisted Living Community offers large studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments with adequate space for our resident’s possessions.

Address: 20554 N 101st Ave, Peoria, AZ 85382

Phone: (623) 362-1200

Chaparral Winds

Chaparral Winds is a beautiful assisted living community near Sun City, AZ. Being able to socialize with other residents becomes an integral part of many peoples’ lives and Chaparral Winds Assisted Living offers common indoor space to support that need. If a resident requires assistance moving from a bed to a wheelchair or vice versa, this facility has staff who can help.

Address: 16623 N W Point Pkwy, Surprise, AZ 85374

Phone: (623) 975-0880

Ventana Winds

Ventana Winds is a unique assisted living located on the border of Sun City and Youngtown, AZ. Each roomy apartment comes with a walk-in closet, a patio or balcony, ample storage and a kitchenette with a full-size refrigerator. Our three-story assisted living facility is built between a lovely courtyard and a crystal-clear swimming pool. Life is destined to be lived at Ventana winds.

Address: 12322 N 113th Ave, Youngtown, AZ 85363

Phone: (623) 583-2460

Canyon Winds

Canyon Winds is an attractive assisted living community in Mesa, AZ. Residents revel in upscale living with first-class care in this gorgeous two-story, 60 unit community featuring Studio, One and Two Bedroom floorplans. Our residents are provided meals, transportation, laundry services and housekeeping. They have access to the full campus and will receive additional support and care as needed.

Address: 2851 N Boulder Canyon, Mesa, AZ 85207

Phone: (480) 948-0700

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What is Alzheimers?

According to the National Institute on Aging NIA: Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks.

An In-Depth Look At Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is a kind of dementia that has been found to cause problems with people’s behavior, memory and thought process. Symptoms usually progresses slowly and will worsen over time, becoming serious enough to interfere with day to day tasks. Alzheimer’s disease affects different parts of the patient’s brain causing various symptoms sometimes not diagnosed prior to the later stages of the disease.

What Some Causes of Alzheimer’s?

The cause for some Alzheimer’s cases is still mostly unexplained except for 1 to 5 percent of cases where genetic variations have been recognized.

Family History:

If a person who has Alzheimer’s is a parent or grandparent, they can pass on the disease to their offspring.

Diet:

Keeping a well balanced diet can help protect the brain. Following a heart-healthy diet can decrease future cognitive deterioration by up to 35 percent.

Head Injuries:

Patients that have had certain head injuries early in life run a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The worse the head injury is, the greater the risk.

Genetics:

There are two categories of genes that effect whether a person develops a disease. One is deterministic genes and the other risk genes; Alzheimer’s genes have been located in both of them.

Down Syndrome:

It is unclear but those who have Down Syndrome may develop Alzheimer’s in their 30’s and 40’s.

What Are The Different Phases of Alzheimer’s?

There are different phase your loved one will go through when developing Alzheimer’s. It really comes down to what part of the brain is affected.

1) Normal Behavior

You probably won’t notice any symptoms in your loved one, but taking a test may uncover a problem.

2) Very Mild Changes

At this phase you will probably pick up on small differences in their behavior, such as misplacing more things that usual, or skipping a word or two.

3) Mild Changes

During this phase you start to notice changes in your loved one reasoning and thinking. They may forget what they just read, forget doctor’s appointments or may ask the same question over and over.

4) Moderate Changes

The changes you saw in phase 3 will be more prominent. You will begin to see new issues appear and may start to stress to your loved one about retiring or stopping driving. You also want to make sure they aren’t getting taken advantage of.

5) Moderately Severe Change

At this point, you loved one may forget what day it is, what season, and may need help with picking out clothes. Even if they can’t remember where they went to school at, they still may be able to tell a story.

6) Severe Change

You loved on may start to get more confused, they remember faces but not names, they may mistake a complete stranger as a good friend. They may want to go to work, but are no longer employed. You may have to assist helping they go to the restroom. It may also start to be difficult to talk.

7) Very Severe Change

Your loved one at this point may be bedridden, they need help eating, can no longer eat solid foods. They may no longer talk or respond to outside stimuli. You loved one is going to need 24 hour assistance.

What Are Some Treatments for Alzheimer’s Patients?

While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, there are steps you can take to make their lives a little better. An unwritten rule is to get plenty of exercise and keep and eat a healthy diet.

Medications

Although there are no current medications to cure Alzheimer’s, there are medications that can make your loved ones life a little easier. There are many types of drugs that can aid in brain functionality. Some medications can slow the disease’s process down depending on the stage of progress the effects will lasts for a limited time.

Environmental Readjustment

Changing the environment your loved one lives in can considerably increase their safety and well-being while decreasing their anxiousness. Be sure to inspect each room for hazards, like throw rugs, or under lit rooms. Home alterations for safety include removal of hazardous items that could be used to harm themselves, harmful chemicals. Utilize child-proof items like outlet covers. Door locks may also be used to limit access.

Psychotherapy

Meeting with a therapist can also be beneficial as your loved one struggles to accept, come to terms with, their new diagnosis. As their Alzheimer’s progresses, psychotherapy becomes less useful to the patient as cognitive deterioration occurs and the ability to express themselves is lost.

Alzheimer’s Patient Treatments

Each Alzheimer’s patient is going to be different depending on the progression of the disease. Different patients are going to have different symptoms. These are just some of the treatment options available for your loved one.

Chaparral Winds Offers The Finest Retirement Living In Surprise, Arizona

Chaparral Winds is a retirement facility in Surprise, Arizona offering assisted living, independent living, and memory care services. For more information about our senior living facility, SLS Communities or to schedule a tour, please call us today at 623-471-5086.

Lewy Body Dementia Vs Alzheimer’s