Dementia – a physical as well as mental illness

There was a very fine feature in the excellent health section of the NY Times yesterday.

My mother is suffering from dementia. A month ago she had to move out of the independent living facility into an assisted living residence. She has real memory problems, trouble remembering to take her meds, as well as some mobility issues. She is doing much better now that she is getting the additional assistance she needs.

hitthe link for the whole article.

Well – Physical Toll of Dementia Often Overlooked in Treatment – NYTimes.com

Dementia is often viewed as a disease of the mind, an illness that erases treasured memories but leaves the body intact.

But dementia is a physical illness, too — a progressive, terminal disease that shuts down the body as it attacks the brain. Although the early stages can last for years, the life expectancy of a patient with advanced dementia is similar to that of a patient with advanced cancer.

The lack of understanding about the physical toll of dementia means that many patients near the end of life are subjected to aggressive treatments that would never be considered with another terminal illness. People with advanced dementia are often given dialysis and put on ventilators; they may even get preventive care that cannot possibly help them, like colonoscopies and drugs for osteoporosis or high cholesterol.