Dementia vs Alzheimer’s

By Heather Steel on March 30th, 2009

In common vernacular, the terms dementia and Alzheimer’s are used interchangeably.  However, the two terms do not have the same definition.  Alzheimer’s is actually a specific disease that involves a form of dementia.  This can create confusion when referring to an actual individual who is experiencing dementia and/or suffering from Alzheimer’s.  Here are the technical definitions for each (from dictionary.com):Dementia (noun): severe impairment or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration, due to the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain

Alzheimer’s (noun): a progressive form of presenile dementia that is similar to senile dementia except that it usually starts in the 40s or 50s; first symptoms are impaired memory which is followed by impaired thought and speech and finally complete helplessness