Q. I have heard people use the term dementia, and then others will say Alzheimer’s disease. What is the difference and how can I tell if my dad is developing either one of them? (From a son in Southern Wisconsin.) 
This is a very common question and there is a lot of confusion about this, so I am glad you asked.
Dementia is used as more of a general term that describes some symptoms.
The symptoms included in dementia are forgetfulness, repeating words or statements, and loss of judgment, to name a few.
Alzheimer’s disease is a specific type of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common kind of dementia, but it is not the only kind. Other illnesses or conditions can cause the symptoms that are included in dementia; multi-infarct dementia, Lewey body dementia, and frontal temporal lobe dementia are some of the others.
The important thing to remember is that you are suspicious of some changes in your dad and wonder what to do next.
The first step is to have an honest talk with your father and explain your concern. The next step is to schedule a complete physical with his physician.
If possible attend the visit with him and ask about memory testing. This kind of test will help identify what areas of thinking are affected and may lead to other kinds of tests.
Also remember that other things can cause some of the symptoms of dementia. Medication interactions and depression can cause some symptoms that can be interpreted as dementia.
Honesty with your father and advocating for a thorough examination will help to lead both of you to some answers. Do not accept forgetfulness as a normal part of aging — it is not!
Sometimes information is hard to hear and changes are hard to accept, but once you know what you are dealing with, you can get a better sense of what the future holds and plan accordingly.
Jean Mueller has been a registered nurse for over 30 years. Her experience includes working in home care settings, skilled nursing care, and training individuals to become certified nursing assistants. For the past 13 years she has worked in the Aging Services department of the Madison Diocese Catholic Charities. Questionsfor the “Ask Jean” column may be sent to Jean Mueller at jmueller@ccmadison.org