So... Alzheimer's? Why is it important?

Many people have adopted the poor habit of referring to Dementia and Alzheimer’s interchangeably, but they are not the same. Dementia is not so much an independent disease, but a collection of symptoms that present as a result of other diseases. Alzheimer’s is one disease that causes symptoms of Dementia. Other common types or causes of Dementia are Lewy Bodies, Frontotemporal, and abnormalities of Vascularity. Unfortunately, these types can even coexist. (NIH). There are several conditions that mirror Dementia, which makes things difficult to determine.

I have spent several years escorting families through the stages of Dementia and observing their grief as they journey through the diagnoses that cause it's symptoms. While families live the experience of watching their family member transition away from their previous selves, they do not know the daily happenings of the environments their family member is in. Working in Dementia care has terrible and traumatic moments that family members do not see, which is part of the privilege and burden of healthcare workers. In this field, compassion is battled by frustration and powerlessness for all parties (the patient themselves, family, and workers). I would like to contribute to transforming the environment by reaching all three audiences in a way that contributes to healthy relationships and expectations for the future.