Is Dentia always a death sentence
- Thread starter Chris100
- Start date
I hesitate to say that everything leads to death, but that’s flippant. I think dementia can shorten life, and my OHs consultant has give us 2-3 years as a ball park. He has Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body. Everyone is different and they react differently. Ageing is one thing but dementia is another.
I think most people with dementia usually die of some other illness. Pneumonia is one, my dad had cancer but I am not sure that the cancer actually killed him, I think it more likely that it was just his poor body eventually gave up. I looked on it as a kind of blessing which is very sad but I am sure most people would understand and agree with me.
My mum died from (not with) dementia.
Quite often they will die from something else first, but if there is nothing else then, yes they die from dementia.
Unfortunately, dementia is a condition where brain cells atrophy and die. This affects memory, but not just memory because the brain cells dying happens eventually throughout the brain, so everything - logic, reasoning, ability to perform tasks, mobility, behaviour, speech, continence - all go. Eventually the dying brain can no longer control all the body functions and they start slowly to shut down. Finally the swallow reflex is lost and breathing and heart beat cannot be maintained.
This is very, very different from normal aging. The popular picture of people with dementia just becoming more forgetful and fading away is far far from the reality
Quite often they will die from something else first, but if there is nothing else then, yes they die from dementia.
Unfortunately, dementia is a condition where brain cells atrophy and die. This affects memory, but not just memory because the brain cells dying happens eventually throughout the brain, so everything - logic, reasoning, ability to perform tasks, mobility, behaviour, speech, continence - all go. Eventually the dying brain can no longer control all the body functions and they start slowly to shut down. Finally the swallow reflex is lost and breathing and heart beat cannot be maintained.
This is very, very different from normal aging. The popular picture of people with dementia just becoming more forgetful and fading away is far far from the reality
Unfortunately it is terminal and dementia will cause death if something else desn't get you first. A lot of physical stuff comes into play in the later stages, so mobility is affected, speech and eventually even swallowing.
My mum was lucky to have nothing much (else) wrong with her and her death certificate gives dementia as cause of death.
My mum was lucky to have nothing much (else) wrong with her and her death certificate gives dementia as cause of death.
Dementia is a terminal illness. Some people die of something else first but if the person dies of dementia then this will be at the end of a long(ish) journey during which the body gradually shuts down. It’s not the same as someone ‘dying of old age’. Dementia makes people frail in a way that a person of a similar age without dementia is not.
hi @Chris100
you may find info of intetest on the main AS site ... click on the blur button at extreme top right of each page
and on this site too
www.alzheimersresearchuk.org
you may find info of intetest on the main AS site ... click on the blur button at extreme top right of each page
and on this site too
Alzheimer's Research UK - the UK's leading Alzheimer's research charity
Alzheimer's Research UK are the UK's leading Alzheimer's research charity aiming to find a cure for dementia. Together we have the power to make breakthroughs possible.
www.alzheimersresearchuk.org
Hi , @Chris100 I wonder if this free online course would be of help to you? My OH has no medical knowledge unlike the rest of the family, so he found this course to be of great help. I am not sure when the next one starts. One of my ex colleagues was involved in the course content.
www.utas.edu.au
Understanding Dementia MOOC
Understanding Dementia is a free online course that builds upon the latest in international research on dementia.
Dementia is a terminal illness but it is hard to be specific about length of time between onset and death as this can be short or several years. In the past, recording of dementia as a cause on death certificates was less prevalent than it is now. It is not uncommon for other conditions (comorbidities) such as respiratory disease and circulatory disease to be recorded on death certificates. This Public Health England briefing may be of interest to those who like numbers. The discussion session at the end gives a general overview.
Hi @Chris100 , The MOOC that @Dunroamin linked to and the companion course Understanding Dementia, that is mentioned in that link are excellent. I would really recommend them.
Hi Chris I can only answer about myself and immediate family personal experiences with dementia
now your question “Does Dementia always lead to death” lets put this in perspective and get realistic I was diagnosed in 1999 aged 56 I’m now almost 79 so coming up for 23 years still alive and kicking
my dad had dementia foe well over 20 years died aged 85 my mum also had dementia for a few years died aged 94 both parents died of Cancer not dementia mums brother and sister both had dementia and died aged 92 and 89 I think they died of cancer as well but not 100% sure
so again speaking of personal experience no dementia has hastened death
speaking generally depend at what aged your diagnosed and what other medical conditions you may have
