Episode 63: Why Does My Family Member's Dementia Look Differently? Cognitive Reserve

Why does my family member’s dementia look differently from others with the same diagnosis, or even at the same stages?

I get this question multiple times a week. Sometimes, caregivers are confused because this is the second, or third, person they are caring for…and their experience this time is very different from earlier experiences. Or, a caregiver is going to a support group and realizes that their loved one’s memory problems are not consistent with what other members are describing. Caregivers start to wonder if the person living with dementia is “pretending” to have memory problems or if the diagnosis is correct. Some caregivers may even believe that their family member could do more if only they would try harder.

One reason why two people with the same diagnosis may behave differently is because of something called “cognitive reserve.” Cognitive reserve is the build up of extra neurons in different parts of the brain. Education, hobbies, and occupation can all build cognitive reserve.

Make Dementia Your B*tch podcast has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 25 Dementia Podcasts for 2022—check it out:
https://blog.feedspot.com/dementia_podcasts/

Free VIRTUAL dementia education and support session calendar:

https://dementiacentricsolutionsllc.clickmeeting.com/monthly-dementia-webinars

Other resources:

New! 5 Ways to help People living with dementia who refuse help: https://dementiacentricsolutions.com/caring-for-someone-living-with-dementia-tired-of-fighting-and-arguing/

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#alzheimers #dementia #caregiving #behaviors  #dementiabitch #Lewy body #Parkinsons #vascular #care refusals #cognitive reserve