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Dementia

Is Dementia a Mental Illness?

John Trevey on Feb 26, 2023
Living with Dementia - Barton House - Sugar Land, TX

Is dementia a mental illness?

Awareness of dementia, Alzheimer’s and mental illness has increased greatly in the last decade. For illnesses that often carry a stigma with the general public, this is good news. More people are being informed about what these diseases are and aren’t and how to better care for themselves and those around them.

However, with this increase in awareness comes confusion. If dementia is an illness that affects the brain, is it a mental illness? Dementia and certain mental illnesses seem to have overlapping symptoms like social withdrawal, confusion and hallucinations. Does that mean dementia falls under the category of mental illness?

It makes sense that many people associate mental illness with dementia and while, no, dementia is not a mental illness, there is a strong connection between the two.

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What is the difference between mental illness and Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia. (Dementia is officially defined as a group of symptoms, not a disease in and of itself.) The disease affects nearly 6 million Americans—most over the age of 65. While there are many types of dementia, for the purpose of this article, we will discuss the difference between Alzheimer’s and mental illness.

Mental illness

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), “Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses can be associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.”

Mental illness diagnoses include mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, chronic anxiety, substance abuse disorder and personality disorders such as schizophrenia. These diseases are not fatal—though they can lead to fatal behaviors—and most can be managed or improved with a combination of medication, therapy, a healthy lifestyle and relational support.

Anyone can be affected by a mental illness no matter their age. About one in five Americans has been diagnosed with some form of mental illness. This prevalence means that most of us have been affected by mental illness, whether you’ve been diagnosed with one yourself or know someone who has.

Mental illnesses can be caused by chemical or physical changes in the brain and if prolonged without intervention, they can cause further damage to the brain.

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder. Symptoms of Alzheimer’s include memory loss, confusion, disorientation, difficulty with speech and language and irritability. While the exact cause of Alzheimer’s is still unknown, researchers have been able to pinpoint tangled proteins in the brain as a possible cause of the disease.

Alzheimer’s over time causes the brain to shrink. The disease is ultimately fatal and there is no cure, though there are medications that help with symptoms and some breakthrough medications that may help slow the progression of the disease.

Those who are living with Alzheimer’s will need assistance with activities of daily living such as eating and going to the bathroom as the disease progresses and many will eventually require 24/7 professional care.

Can dementia be mistaken for a mental illness?

Is Dementia A Mental Illness - Barton House Memory Care - Sugar Land, TX

A common symptom of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is depression. This is likely due to the emotional toll of dealing with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis as well as changes in the brain.

In addition, some symptoms of depression and Alzheimer’s overlap such as social withdrawal, mood changes and irritability. Because of this, dementia can be mistaken for depression. As this study points out,

“Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in the general population. However, when present concomitantly with neurodegenerative disorders, its diagnosis becomes challenging. In many cases, patients remain undiagnosed and hence, untreated, worsening the prognosis of the neurodegenerative diseases and impairing the quality of life.”

A diagnosis from an expert such as a neurologist is essential to determine whether you or your loved one has depression, a neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s or both. When these diagnoses are confused and left untreated, it can increase the severity of the disease.

How can you tell the difference between dementia and schizophrenia?

Is Dementia A Mental Illness - Barton House Memory Care - Sugar Land, TX

Schizophrenia and dementia can be easily confused due to overlapping symptoms, and while the diseases are very different in nature, a growing body of research has linked the two.

According to the APA, “Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterized by incoherent or illogical thoughts, bizarre behavior and speech, and delusions or hallucinations, such as hearing voices.” Schizophrenia is typically diagnosed at a much younger age than dementia, often before age 35.

“Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterized by incoherent or illogical thoughts, bizarre behavior and speech, and delusions or hallucinations, such as hearing voices.”

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION

Those who are living with more advanced Alzheimer’s or dementia may have a hard time communicating, making them seem incoherent to others. Some may also experience hallucinations, or they may mistake a relative for someone else, such as a deceased spouse. Because of this, someone with Alzheimer’s may display schizophrenic-like behaviors, but this does mean they have schizophrenia. They are simply dealing with severe cognitive decline due to their disease.

Like Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia is caused by changes in brain structure and chemicals. Because of this, those who are diagnosed with schizophrenia are at higher risk for developing dementia or Alzheimer’s in the future. This study found that those who have schizophrenia are twice as likely to develop dementia later in life.

While dementia and mental illness are linked, they are not the same.

One is a degenerative, fatal brain disorder.

The other is a health condition that causes changes to your emotions and behavior.

It’s important to know the difference so you can better identify symptoms in yourself and your loved ones and to help educate those around you, so we can continue to reduce the stigma associated with cognitive decline and mental illness.

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Covid Information

Continuing an Environment of Caring in Times of COVID-19


Safety of Residents and Staff

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to evolve, our communities are focused on keeping our Residents and staff safe while also maintaining Resident engagement and daily fulfillment. We are taking a cautious approach, balancing the highest level of safety within the least restrictive environment.

We will continue to follow and augment State and C.D.C. safety recommendations:

Screening: We screen every employee every day. We require our staff to complete a questionnaire (inquiring about possible symptoms, recent travel and exposure), have their temperature and oxygen level checked before entering the building. Staff are also required to clean their cell phones, keys and wash their hands while being observed. We monitor our Residents’ health closely with temperature and oxygen level checks at least twice a day. We help our Residents wash their hands throughout the day and encourage them to wear a mask or face covering.

Cleaning: We have enhanced our cleaning products with regard for their effectiveness in killing COVID-19 particles and proper sanitization and disinfection, using the EPA’s specific list of disinfectants for use against the coronavirus. We are using this list and training staff on how long cleaning solutions must be kept on a surface before wiping it off to ensure its effectiveness. We prioritize cleaning high-touch areas and horizontal surfaces, cleaning them several times a day.

Physical Distancing: We encourage 6 foot distancing between Residents and with staff unless they are providing direct care to a Resident.

Testing: We test all Residents and staff for COVID-19 every three weeks, and more as needed. Our nurses utilize a PCR test, which we send to a private lab to expedite results.

Physical Changes: We have installed ultraviolet lights in our air conditioners that supply air to the common areas of the houses. This method is believed to be helpful in killing bacteria that is cycled through the systems and pushed back into the house. We’ve also enhanced our HVAC filters to near HEPA levels, trying to add additional layers of protection to keep COVID-19 out of the building. Most importantly, air purifiers have been added to common areas and each resident room.

PPE: Staff members wear masks at all times and we encourage Residents to wear masks when outside their rooms. We also encourage physical distancing between our Residents. Staff wears additional protective equipment when deemed necessary while caring for our Residents. Staff are continually trained on when and how to use personal protective equipment (PPE).

Individual Needs Stay Paramount

The uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 affects us all. At our communities, we are not letting it stop us from safely offering a life well-lived. Above all, we are providing the utmost attention to the safety and well-being of our Residents. Our Program has always revolved around the individualized needs of each Resident and this has not changed during COVID-19. Residents are still able to connect with each other and staff while maintaining a safe physical distance. Weather permitting, we enjoy the patio and large backyard. We continue to keep our Residents engaged through cognitive, physical, recreational experiences. We offer enjoyment and connection throughout the day even during these unprecedented times.

Visitors

Since early March we have restricted facility access to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Essential Visitors: Healthcare providers including physicians, home health, private duty services, physical therapy and hospice staff have not been allowed in the communities unless there is an acute, essential need for our Residents. These services continue as needed through FaceTime, tele-med and phone conversations. If physical access is absolutely necessary, the individual will complete our questionnaire and screening for temperature and oxygen stats. No one is allowed in the community if they fail to meet our screening criteria.

Families: We are happy to help schedule window visits, FaceTime, Zoom and phone calls with your loved ones based on what is allowed and prudent. To ensure the proper support from our staff, our visits are scheduled ahead of time.

Tours and Move-Ins

Tours: We recognize that regardless of the changes with COVID-19, your need for senior living hasn’t changed. For the safety of you, our Residents and staff, we are currently offering virtual tours where you can see our community, as well as meet our staff. Please contact our Community Relations Director to set up a virtual tour.

Move-Ins: We are accepting a limited number of move-ins (unless otherwise instructed by public health department). New Residents must be tested for COVID-19 prior to move-in. Upon admission, we will place a new resident in their room to quarantine as an additional precaution.

We will share community-specific information with residents and families as our quarantine measures continue to evolve with new information of COVID-19.

We are honored to care for your family member and loved one.

 

Comments we’ve received from our families during COVID-19.

“We appreciate all of your efforts. Your team clearly is a leader in the response to COVID. Thank you for keeping our loved ones safe.”

Joseph

“Thank you, thank you, thank you for ALL you have done and are doing to keep the residents and staff in a safe environment! The continuous learning and improvements empower caregivers and families to do better at home and in our communities.”

Tommy

“I appreciate you taking the time to update us and share them with my family living in AL, GA, VA, MD, FL…we are extremely grateful and comforted by your proactive and decisive measures! We’ll continue to keep you in prayer for health, safety and more.”

Rebecca

“In keeping with the parade theme you had, the employees there are super heroes. They are plowing forward in the midst of this horrible virus and taking care of their patients selflessly. I just wanted to acknowledge their bravery and dedication and thank them from the bottom of my heart for the goodness in their hearts and their dedication to their patients and jobs.”

Abigail

“Thank you! You locked down early & your diligence has paid well.

The Bader support group continues meeting once a month by Zoom. We all appreciate you so much. Everyone comments on how grateful we are that our parents are at Barton House!

We appreciate everything: sending us pictures, calls, alerts to bring supplies/clothes as needed, staying in virtual contact with hospice.
Blessings to each of you.”

Marsha

“Thank you for all y’all and all the staff are doing for my mom and the other residents. We truly appreciate your hard work.”

Carol

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