Understanding Dementia Care Needs

Dementia is the umbrella term for a number of neurological conditions, of which the major symptom includes a global decline in brain function.  There are over 100 diseases that may cause dementia. The most common causes of dementia include Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies. The most common dementia for those under the age of 60 is frontotemporal degeneration (FTD).  Dementia can strike at any age, it is not a condition of the elderly. Those with FTD can be diagnosed in their 20's. The average age of diagnosis is 45-65, but it takes over 4 years to receive an accurate diagnosis. It is a very misunderstood dementia, even in the medical community.  For these reasons, this page will give you more information on this unrecognized dementia, frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), because so many are misdiagnosed and the struggle for answers is so stressful for the families.