Has vascular dementia affected someone you love? Learn more about the signs and stages and how you can help.
A common type of dementia for ages 60 and over.
Causes
Caused by impaired blood flow to the brain, causing brain cells to die. Can be a result of stroke or heart attack, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, obesity, smoking.
Symptoms
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Reduced ability to organize thoughts
- Decline in ability to analyze plan and coordinate
- Restlessness and agitation
- Unsteady gait
- Sudden or frequent urge to urinate or inability to control passing urine
- Depression
- Apathy
How can we help?
- Greet visually before touch
- Tell them what you plan to do before you do it, each step of the way
- Listen an maintain good eye contact even if they are hard to understand
- Encourage meaningful activities to help maintain self esteem
- If they refuse care, reapproach in a few minutes or ask someone else to try
Focus on what they can do!
