As the human body ages, it accumulates damage from years of use. The damage is especially evident when it affects the brain of elderly people.
Over time, the brain’s volume decreases in a number of ways. Neurons shrink, the cerebral cortex thins, synapses decrease, and fatty myelin deteriorates. It’s likely that a combination of these conditions contributes to the development of brain disease in old age.
To learn more about the difference between brain diseases, like senility vs dementia, explore the information below.
What Is Senility?
Senility refers to the condition of being senile. This term comes from the Latin senilis, meaning, of old age. As an adjective, the long history of this term is imprecise and unsuitable for the evidence-based medical field as it functions today.
In the past, this term was used to broadly describe the senility symptoms that occur with many older adults. Today, however, we better understand brain disease and use more precise terminology.
What Is Dementia?
Dementia is the modern-day medical term that describes a collection of cognitive disorders. These disorders may affect emotions, behavior, memory, or thinking ability.
Although we understand dementia better, the medical institution is still struggling to find an effective treatment for these brain disorders. Dementia symptoms present themselves gradually, and may include:
- loss of memory
- loss of focusing ability
- loss of communication ability
- loss of appropriate judgment
- loss of problem-solving abilities
- loss of reasoning skills
If you are unsure how to spot dementia, look for these common behaviors:
- getting lost in familiar surroundings
- forgetting friends and family members
- forgetting important events and memories
- using the wrong word for common items
- needing more help with regular tasks
To be diagnosed with dementia, a patient needs to present two or three of these symptoms and have them interfere with their daily life.
Senility vs Dementia
The medical community no longer uses the term senile. One of the main issues with this term is that the etymology implies that these brain disorders are a normal part of aging.
Although brain deterioration is a normal part of aging, the rapid brain deterioration that occurs with dementia is not. Even the term dementia itself may be going out of style. An increasing number of medical professionals are now calling it neurocognitive disorder.
Caring for Dementia Patients
Dementia care is a difficult and emotional full-time job. Many Americans try to provide caregiving to their loved ones with dementia, but it may be unsustainable for those who already work one full-time job. For the safety of the loved one with dementia, it’s usually best to hire professional help.
The most difficult part of dementia care is deciding when it’s needed. It’s also difficult to accept the need for help and deal with feelings of abandonment and grief. It’s important to have a strong emotional support system in place throughout this process.
Helping a Loved One With Dementia
Whether it’s senility vs dementia, helping a loved one with a brain disorder is a heart-wrenching duty. If possible, hiring professional carers for someone with dementia is best. This medical condition is typically a slow decline offering no respite for the patient or their loved ones for many years.
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