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Early Onset Dementia
Early onset dementia, also called young onset
dementia, is thought to occur in people under age 65. This form of
dementia is especially difficult as many of the persons with this
form of the disease have children at home that they are raising and
are still actively working to support this family. The Alzheimer’s
Association reports that there are approximately 500,000 persons in
the U.S. between the ages of 30 and 50 years of age with Alzheimer’s
disease. Symptoms of Early Onset Dementia
Early onset dementia may start suddenly with symptoms such as memory
loss, odd behavior or outbursts. Since the person is so young,
family members and even medical professionals may not think the
symptoms match up to dementia at first. Risk
Factors of Early Onset Dementia The causes of
early onset dementia are still unknown but a mutation of any of
three specific genes is thought to be involved. A family history of
having a parent or grandparent who had early onset dementia is also
felt to be a risk factor for developing the disease.
Early Onset Dementia – Special Considerations
In addition to being harder to diagnose, early onset dementia has
unique situations that occur in the person with the disease and
their caregivers. Some of the special challenges include:
Early Onset Dementia – Special Considerations
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Disruptions in job and future with the person
diagnosed being fired or asked to retire, impacting medical
benefits.
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Sudden loss of income and financial stability, often
to the primary family earner.
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Children are impacted, having to deal with upheaval
in the family of having a chronically ill parent, loss of financial
security and a change in future plans.
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Losses for the diagnosed person include self esteem,
self worth.
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Due to age, the person diagnosed may also be more
aware of the impact of the disease in the early stages.
Treatment Options - Early Onset Dementia
There is currently no cure for early onset dementia and no specific
drugs that have proven helpful, although research continues.
Family members may opt to get genetic testing to see if they are at
risk for developing the disease and then receive counseling, based
on the results. Caregivers may benefit from attending a dementia
support group. There is special support groups available in some
locations designed to deal with the unique needs of these
caregivers. For
further information about dementia, please return to the
main menu.
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