Early onset dementia is a growing health crisis
America’s battle against the Alzheimer’s memory disorder brain disease is of major growing concern. The statistics are frightening — and chances are that if you don’t now know a friend, family member or neighbor suffering from the onslaught of dementia or having to become a caregiver it’s likely that by 2025 you could be affected by it.
It’s not just the elderly or the middle-aged: Now we have children affected by Alzheimer’s! Medical experts calculate by 2025 we may be well on the way to having one out of two American’s suffering from it or caring for those suffering from the disease.
It is a catastrophe in the making. Fortunately, here in Las Vegas, we have the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health to assist patients and caregivers coping with the disease but its already maxing out in its ability to help those suffering.
I could have celebrated this holiday weekend with a different article perspective but I wanted to use these recreational hours as a time for you to learn more about Alzheimer’s. I asked Dr. Gabriel Leger, the staff neurologist at the Brain Health Center to be part of this two-stage analysis of the work that goes on in the Frank Gehry architect-designed building at Symphony Park.
……
When you hear the word dementia what comes to mind? My guess would be an elderly person with white hair and memory loss. But what if I told you to picture a middle-aged man or woman with a successful career and children? Would you be surprised? Probably.
That’s because many people have the misconception that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias only present later in life. While they are most common in people over the age of 65, they can appear in individuals much younger, even as young as 40.
Physicians use the term early (or young) onset dementia (EOD) to describe dementia that first occurs in individuals under the age of 65. A growing national problem and a future health crisis, EOD is estimated to affect between 220,000 to 640,000 Americans, with recent studies indicating the disease is more common than originally thought.
While any disease of the brain inflicts an incredible burden on patients and their caregivers, EOD poses unique and substantial challenges for those affected, and their loved ones. Given that it occurs much earlier in life and causes a wide range of behavioral, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms, physicians tend to rule out dementia and instead focus on other conditions such as mental illness or stress when trying to make a diagnosis. When this happens it can take months, even years, to receive the right diagnosis and proper treatment.
Additionally, because patients are affected at an earlier age, a huge impact is made on their quality of life. Often, symptoms of EOD present when an individual is in the midst of their career, which can lead to a poor job performance and, ultimately, loss of employment (and benefits such as health insurance).
Furthermore, it is not uncommon for EOD patients to have younger children and a spouse that now have to take on the role of caregiver. Unfortunately, we see a considerable amount of cases where spouses who become caregivers have to decrease their work hours or even quit their job, which adds to the financial burden of the disease.
The list of challenges facing those with EOD is extraordinary and with this population growing, it is important that we address these issues and take the right steps to better serve the needs of these patients.
At the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health we have established the Early Onset Dementia Clinic, which focuses solely on providing exceptional care for these patients, spreading awareness of EOD and working toward finding meaningful treatments.
In addition to providing medical care, no-cost services include support groups for family members and caregivers of those affected, music and art therapy programs, a free library with a wide variety of resources to help better understand the diseases treated here and a social worker to help navigate through the everyday challenges that come with an EOD diagnosis.
As a neurologist, I am often asked about normal vs. abnormal aging. When should someone be concerned? The truth is, as we get older we should expect to see some subtle changes in memory. Misplacing your keys, forgetting a name and delayed reaction times are all normal in someone older than 65.
However, severe loss of memory and mental ability that interferes with everyday life is a sign of something more serious. Some red flags for EOD include difficulty with short-term memory and finding the right words, changes in mood and behavior, confusion with directions, time and place as well as apathy. If you are ever unsure if what you are experiencing is normal or if you have experienced noticeable changes, I recommend making an appointment with a neurologist.
While an EOD diagnosis is devastating, it is important to know that there are resources available right here in Las Vegas. At the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health we are committed to providing exceptional care and tools to support those living with EOD and other neurodegenerative diseases. Those interested in learning more about the Early Onset Dementia Clinic or about the caregiver programs and resources available at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health can visit ClevelandClinic.org/BrainHealth.
