Section 1: About dementia

Topics include diagnosis, planning, memory changes, research and types of dementia.

1.1 What is dementia?

This Help Sheet describes dementia, who gets it and some of its most common forms. It describes some early signs of dementia and emphasises the importance of an early medical diagnosis.

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1.2 Diagnosing dementia

This Help Sheet provides information about the early signs of dementia and the ways in which it is diagnosed. The importance of an early and correct diagnosis is emphasised.

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1.3 Diagnosis: Informing the person with dementia

This Help Sheet discusses the issue of talking to the person with dementia about their diagnosis. It suggests approaches that families may take and provides some practical ways to talk about the diagnosis with the person with dementia.

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1.4 Early Planning

Early planning can make it much easier for both a person with dementia, their family and carers to manage their financial and legal affairs. This Help Sheet discusses ways to plan ahead and lists people and organisations that can help.

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1.5 Next steps

This Help Sheet describes the different services available for people diagnosed with dementia, their families and carers. These include specialised dementia services, health and home support services.

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1.6 Information for family and friends

Approximately 200,000 Australians are currently diagnosed with dementia. All of these people have family, friends, neighbours and acquaintances. It can be difficult to explain about dementia, particularly if you, or someone close to you, has the condition. This Help Sheet is designed for people with dementia and their families to provide information to others about dementia. It explains what dementia is, how it affects people and ways to help.

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1.7 Memory changes

This Help Sheet describes some of the differences between memory loss as a part of normal ageing and as a symptom of dementia. It provides some tips for keeping your memory sharp.

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1.8 Progression of dementia

This Help Sheet discusses the progression of dementia from the early stages to the final stages of advanced dementia.

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1.9 Drug treatments and dementia

This Help Sheet broadly discusses some of the drug treatments currently being used in the treatment of dementia. This includes new drugs which may have a temporary effect in improving mental functioning and drugs used to treat accompanying symptoms such as depression and anxiety. It also suggests questions that people with dementia, their families and carers should ask their doctor before being prescribed any of these drugs.

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1.10 Dementia and heredity

People affected by dementia are often concerned about whether the condition can be passed along in families. This Help Sheet discusses the role of heredity in Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

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1.11 Research

This Help Sheet provides a broad overview of current research into dementia and discusses some of the issues involved in participating in research studies.

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1.12 Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia accounting for between 50% and 70% of all cases. This Help Sheets describes the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease as well as its causes, progression and treatment.

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1.13 Vascular dementia

Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease and recently its incidence has been found to be higher than previously expected. This Help Sheet describes Vascular dementia, its causes, diagnosis and progression.

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1.14 Fronto Temporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD)

This Help Sheet describes a group of dementias, known as Fronto Temporal Lobar Degeneration including Fronto Temporal Dementia, Progressive non-Fluent Aphasia, Semantic Dementia and Pick’s disease. It discusses their causes, diagnoses and symptoms.

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1.15 Dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies is a common form of dementia, sharing many similarities with Alzheimer’s disease. This Help Sheet describes dementia with Lewy bodies, its causes,diagnosis and progression.

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1.16 Alcohol related dementia

This Help Sheet discusses alcohol related dementias, their causes, symptoms and treatment.

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1.17 AIDS related dementia

This Help Sheet describes AIDS related dementia, its cause, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

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1.18 Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease

Research has established a link between Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. This Help Sheet explains what is currently known about this link, and discusses the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome and some information about where to find additional support.

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1.19 Parkinson's and dementia

This help sheet describes Parkinson's, what causes it and some of the symptoms of dementia people with Parkinson's experience. It points out how communication is affected and ways of managing changed behaviours.

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