Dementia vs. Depression: What Families Should Know

Getting help with diagnosing senior mental health conditions is very important to ensure that people get the help they need. As studies suggest that almost 7 million people over 65 currently suffer from Alzheimer's, for example, people need to be aware that it is a prevalent issue and one that often requires support. It is also easily mistaken for depression as another issue with mental health in aging.

Below, we offer clear signs to watch for at home to differentiate dementia vs. depression and help you determine whether you need to take extra steps to protect your loved one. Discover at-home checks, local Kalamazoo resources, and other help to determine whether someone is suffering from cognitive decline.

Spotting Clues of Dementia vs. Depression Clues

While many separate signs of each exist, some can overlap significantly. For example, studies show that while cognitive decline is one of the main symptoms when it comes to dementia, symptoms that overlap with depression can include:

• Agitation
• Apathy
• Irritability
• Sleep disturbances

Slow Memory Loss vs. Mood Change Symptoms

Dementia often starts with trouble recalling recent events in someone's life. Over time, however, it slowly shifts into broader memory gaps that affect more and more of their daily activities. These lapses can often even manifest as the complete loss of a memory related to:

• Conversations
• Faces
• Names
• Events
• Places

These can all significantly harm a person's ability to engage in normal daily life. However, it is very normal for the sufferer not even to realize they are having a problem. Instead, they will tend to create a false narrative that explains away their difficulties due to the brain's ability to make connections easily.

Depression, however,emotional wellness may have memory lapses too, but these will often coincide with low moods and poor concentration. There will be a more obvious trigger for them as a person does not actively engage in a conversation or similar.

Depressive memory loss often occurs suddenly after a drop in emotional wellness, indicated by a sudden shift from remembering more to forgetting specific events or discussions over only a few weeks. This period is how long it takes someone to go from having good mental health to experiencing the peak of depression.

Depressive memory loss is also often cured or alleviated with medication or other treatment, which proves that it is unrelated to a more widespread memory loss problem.

As such, when you notice that someone starts to have issues, tracking the onset of the problem can help you to see whether they align with long-term chronic issues or sudden changes in a person's life.

Another key factor is that those with depression usually acknowledge that something has slipped their memory. They will express concern over having lost these abilities and often show frustration.

Home Checks for Families

If you want to look out for clear signs, watch out for the following:

Depression:

• Spoiled groceries
• Forgotten meals
• Neglected tasks
• Daytime napping
• Not engaging in activities and events due to forgetting them
• Gradual weight loss due to not eating meals

Dementia:

• Sleep difficulties
• Early wakefulness
• Refusal to engage with otherwise-enjoyed activities
• Sudden loss of appetite

Make sure to keep track of these, alongside dates and times, and the response of your loved one, so that you can refer to them later with a key health specialist.

The frequency of the issues might also be a key sign. If someone forgets where they put their keys, that is relatively normal. However, if they do so daily and are not even aware of it, it is much more likely to signal dementia.

Similarly, if someone attempts to resolve or "fix" their issue, such as by taking notes, it makes it clear that the issue itself is well-remembered, and can often indicate depression.

While the staff at LakeHouse Kalamazoo cannot offer treatment, you may be well-placed to discuss your options for support with them. They may have advice on other locations offering memory care or other help.

Picking the Right At-Home Tests

If you have significant worries about dementia, you may want to test the individual. There are several methods available online. While you will not be a trained professional and cannot make a diagnosis, they may help you and others understand the full extent of the issue, giving you information with which to talk to others about seeking help.

Examples of such tests include:

Depression

• Depression questionnaires
• Geriatric Depression Scale tests to assess mood
• Asking whether a person enjoyed an activity

Dementia

• Dementia symptom checklists
• Asking people to draw the time on a clock face to measure visuospatial skills
• Quick recall tests for three words after a distraction
• Asking for three things that may have occurred on the prior day

When speaking with the staff from LakeHouse Kalamazoo, mention the results you get from them to help them understand the full scope of the issue. They can guide you towards external memory care support, but they should be able to use the information to more easily understand your loved one's situation and offer living care.

In the case that someone has any form of dementia, you may also want to discuss advanced care planning with them, such as the creation of a living will. Only around 37% of American adults have these.

However, they are key to communicating what should happen when someone is no longer able to care for themselves for any reason.

If both depression and dementia suddenly progress, you may need such a document to ensure your loved one gets the senior care in Kalamazoo, MI, they sorely need.

Assemble Support For Your Loved One

It may be time to investigate getting your loved one the help they need. If you have clearly differentiated dementia vs. depression, either way, LakeHouse Kalamazoo may be the community best-suited to help them start the final steps of their life.

We can help you and your family work out how best to transition your loved one into our living care community, involving you every step of the way to help you make confident decisions. So, schedule a tour today to learn how we can offer you and your family the help they need during this difficult time.