Laureate Group

Distinguishing the types of dementia can improve treatment

Guest Author, Robert Best, Executive Director Oak Hill Terrace discusses Frontotemporal Dementia in Part I of a series on dementias.

As our population ages, more of us will experience the impact of Alzheimer’s. There is a very good chance that someone in your own family or a friend has a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. The label “Alzheimer’s disease,” once thought to be a rare form of early dementia, has become so common that most people use the terms “Alzheimer’s disease” and “dementia” interchangeably. In reality, dementia is an umbrella term for a diverse group of disorders that cause the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities. Alzheimer’s disease is believed to be the most common form of dementia, accounting for possibly 50 to 70 percent of all cases. However, as researchers have learned to distinguish the types of dementia and as testing methods have improved, we are beginning to see more precise diagnosis. It is advantageous to distinguish between the many types of dementia, as they respond differently to treatments.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), once called Pick’s Disease, is also an umbrella term for a number of disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain — the areas generally associated with personality, behavior, memory and language. FTD is rare but the onset can occur in people as young as 20, but usually begins between ages 40 and 60. The average age at which it begins is 54. In this disease portions of the frontal and temporal lobes atrophy or shrink, resulting in damage to the brain. (The New York Times published a very moving story about one couple’s story with FTD on May 5^th. When Illness Makes a Spouse a Stranger.)

You're never too old to play

May is Older Americans Month - a program of the U.S. Department of Human Services Administration on Aging that dates back to 1963. Communities across the nation celebrate aging and show appreciation for the contributions and achievements of older adults in a variety of different ways – ceremonies, events, fairs and other activities. 

This year’s Older American Month theme, “Never too old to play” spotlights older adults who remain active and engaged, on a quest to experience new things and who give back, in so many ways, to the community. 

How do Laureate Group seniors play? Here are just a few examples. Click on a link to see photo albums on our Facebook page or news articles about our residents.

• Yoga, Tai Chi, Zumba Gold, walking clubs
• Drumming circles
• Learning a new language
• Inventing“Tee’d Off”
• Playing saxaphone for summer concerts in the American Legion Band
• Wii
• Writing Clubs
• Trivia Circles
• Card groups - Bridge, cribbage, sheepshead, Penny Poker, Texas holdem, Euchre, black jack
• Puzzles (jigsaw, crosswords, Sudoku)
• Parties and socials
• Handbells
• Knitting/crochet groups
• Camping, fishing, theater, women’s and men’s club, baseball games,
• Intergenerational programs – working with the local scouts, tutoring grade schools children, local daycares (got to be a link here somewhere)
• Line dancing and learning to hula dance
• Coloring Easter eggs, hiding them for the great grandkids to find!
• Lifelong learning classes
• Educational speakers
• Cooking demonstrations
• Gardening

The number of opportunities throughout our communities is virtually endless.  At Laureate Group, we recognize that one individual’s idea of playing can be very different from the next.  That is why you will find a wide variety of opportunities to meet diverse interests.