What is Dementia?

There can be some confusion about the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia. We want to provide some clarity on what dementia is, and the different types of dementia.

Dementia is a word that describes a variety of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, and social abilities in a way that affects a person’s daily life. Think of it as an umbrella. Beneath the umbrella are several diseases that cause dementia. Of these diseases, Alzheimer’s disease is most common. But there are other causes, including Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and vascular dementia.

The National Institutes of Health made a helpful video that describes dementia in more detail. For more specific symptoms of dementia, please visit this Mayo Clinic website.