Everything You Need to Know About Vascular Dementia

The term Dementia is used to describe a series of symptoms that affect an individual’s memory, their critical thinking skills, and their social abilities to the extent that it starts to influence or affect their day-to-day life.

Here at Integracare, we understand how distressing it may be to receive a Dementia diagnosis — be it for yourself or for a loved one. To help you understand the symptoms, we’re sharing our insights into four types of Dementia with a special focus on Vascular Dementia.

What Is Vascular Dementia?

Vascular Dementia is the second-most common type of Dementia. The condition can be caused by strokes and other conditions that damage blood flow and block the flow of blood, along with oxygen and nutrients, to the brain, leading to brain tissue damage. Vascular Dementia causes memory loss and impacts language, behaviour, and thinking skills.

Vascular Dementia Symptoms

General symptoms or signs of Dementia vary depending on the cause and on the individual. It’s important to be aware of possible symptoms to improve the chance of identifying Vascular Dementia early.

Some General Cognitive Symptoms May Be:

• Memory loss, such as consistently forgetting someone’s name or being unable to remember the day, month, or year.
• Verbal communication problems, including difficulty finding words or becoming verbally reclusive.
• Problems with geography, like forgetting the location of a house or store, or getting lost while driving, leading to confusion or disorientation.
• Inappropriate or aggressive language that’s abnormal to the individual.

Some Physical Signs of Dementia May Be:

• Anxiety or depression,
• Paranoia,
• Agitation, and
• Inappropriate behaviour, such as undressing in public.

While these cognitive and physical signs and symptoms apply to Dementia as an illness generally, there are categorizations of Dementia. Knowing the differences can help us manage and understand the nuances of each form of the illness, including the symptoms and the causes.

When a friend, family member or loved one is diagnosed with Dementia, we know that it’s an incredibly difficult period. You may not know what to do, what to say, or what actions you can take. Rest assured, we at Integracare pride ourselves on having a deep understanding of every form of Dementia. Because of this, we’re able to tailor personalized Dementia Care to our individual Clients’ needs.

We provide a wide range of at-home health care services in Toronto and Mississauga areas catering to people living with Dementia. We recommend considering specialized Dementia care as soon as a diagnosis has been made. In-home dementia care services can help ease the pressure on family members while allowing the persons living with Dementia to stay in the comfort of their own homes.

The Four Most Common Types of Dementia

The four most common types of Dementia are:

Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is the most common type of Dementia. It is a progressive illness that starts with a minor loss of memory. It may lead to the inability to converse or offer natural responses to the person’s surrounding environment.

Alzheimer’s affects neurons and their connectors in the areas of the brain that are involved in memory. As the illness advances, it can dramatically affect areas in the brain that are responsible for language, reasoning, and social behaviour.

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)

A lesser-known form of Dementia, LBD affects between 5 and 15% of all Dementia cases in Canada. It shares some similarities with Parkinson’s disease. Some symptoms may include hallucinations, movement disorders (as per Parkinson’s) and fluctuating attention.

LBD develops when alien deposits of protein develop within the brain’s nerve cells. The protein is called alpha-synuclein. The alpha-synuclein will usually affect the parts of the brain that manage thinking and movement. A build-up of these bodies will eventually block messages between brain cells, leading to Dementia.

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)

FTD can appear in people as young as 45. FTD is a collective of disorders that can manifest when the nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost, causing the lobes to shrink.

Some unique symptoms of FTD are impaired judgement, dramatic personality changes, or a decline in personal hygiene and decreased self-awareness.

Vascular Dementia

This condition is known as Post-Stroke Dementia, although it is not always the result of a stroke and may be caused by damage to blood vessels. Damage to blood vessels can result in a weaker circulation system that deprives the brain of oxygen.

One of the distinguishing factors of this condition is that Dementia can occur rapidly after a stroke, with changes in personality and reasoning occurring almost immediately.

Vascular Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s

Dementia is the name for a broad group of conditions that affect memory, communication, speech, concentration, and reasoning, some of which we listed above. Alzheimer’s disease is one of the conditions included under this umbrella. It is the most common type, affecting between 60 to 80% of all people with Dementia. It is caused by proteins building up in the brain, destroying nerve cells and blocking nerve signals. Vascular Dementia affects roughly 1 in 10 people with Dementia, and it is caused by damage to the brain due to blood vessel damage. Although they have differing causes, they involve similar symptoms, and both progress over time.

Vascular Dementia Causes and Related Conditions

One of the most common Vascular Dementia causes is a lack of blood flow to a specific area of the brain, leading to damaged brain tissue.

Some of the causes for limited blood flow can include the following:

Blood Clots:

The cause of decreased blood flow to brain tissue might be in response to a blockage from a blood clot or because of a partial blockage. Clots and blockages like these might occur after a minor or a major surgery — like a heart bypass.

Strokes:

Symptoms might also arise after a stroke or a heart attack. This is because blood vessels have been ruptured, and/or the stroke has obstructed an artery in the brain.

People may not know that they’ve suffered a small stroke because the symptoms can be minor and easily attributed to other illnesses. Such symptoms might be blurred vision, issues with speaking, or a weakness in one side of the body. A decline in cognitive ability may indicate a minor stroke has occurred and could indicate the onset of Vascular Dementia. If an individual suffers a series of small strokes, then symptoms may advance.

When someone experiences an obvious stroke or heart attack and then subsequently begins to see changes in their ability to reason or think shortly thereafter, this is called Post-Stroke Dementia.

Broader Illness:

The condition may also flare up after a blood vessel has been damaged from an infection. High blood pressure or an autoimmune disorder may also cause the onset of this form of Dementia.

For those living with this type of Dementia, symptoms may worsen following a major surgery or if the individual suffers another stroke or a heart attack.

What Are the 3 Stages of Vascular Dementia?

There are two different ways the stages of Vascular Dementia can be broken down, in three stages and in seven stages, and we’ll address both.

When we talk about the three stages of Vascular Dementia, we are referring to mild, moderate, and severe stages. Alternatively, this might be expressed as early, middle, and late stages, with symptoms worsening in each stage. See below for the 7-stage model for a more in-depth breakdown of how symptoms map onto the various stages.

What Are the 7 Stages of Vascular Dementia?

Today, many medical professionals prefer to talk about this condition in 7 stages. How long each stage lasts varies with the individual. For some, decline may be a slow process, while it may be more rapid for others. These are the 7 stages:

Stage 1: Normal Behaviour

There may be few or no symptoms exhibited during the first stage. That doesn’t mean that the condition isn’t present, but it does mean there are no identifiable symptoms. However, there is damage to blood vessels that will result in symptoms down the road.

Stage 2: Mild or Very Mild Changes

This is the stage at which symptoms first start to present. These include slower thinking, issues with problem solving, and even mild confusion. Often these are mistaken as normal signs of aging instead of symptoms Vascular Dementia.

Stage 3: Mild Cognitive Decline:

The third stage begins with a decline, including an increase in memory loss and the progression of changes. This is usually the point at which family members begin to notice an issue. This stage often involves a worsening of symptoms such as confusion, slowed thinking, and issues with problem-solving, but it can also include difficulty concentrating, trouble communicating or making plans, and difficulty with organizing thoughts.

This is the stage at which it’s important to come up with a care plan. This stage can last as long as several years, but transitioning to a plan that involves a Caregiver can bring familiarity to the routine before symptoms worsen.

Stage 4: Moderate Decline

The fourth stage is where bringing in a Caregiver may become necessary, as there is an increase in safety concerns. You or your loved one may need assistance with cooking, cleaning, and taking medication. In addition to worsening symptoms, new symptoms may also appear.

Stage 5: Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline

At the fifth stage, Vascular Dementia progression worsens to the point that day-to-day living can become a challenge, and families may need to consider more intensive care. The individual with Dementia at this stage may begin to forget phone numbers and addresses or struggle to dress appropriately.

Stage 6: Severe Decline

 A high level of care is often required when severe decline begins and may include assistance from a Live-in Caregiver. Constant supervision may be required to ensure your or your loved one’s safety, and assistance with dressing, meal preparation, and using the toilet may also be required.

Family members may notice personality changes that can be distressing and may need extra emotional or Caregiving support.

Stage 7: Very Severe Decline

The seventh stage will require round-the-clock Live-in Care. You or your loved one will need help with essential activities, including eating and drinking or communication. The focus of care may shift to providing comfort and pain management.

While we recommend seeking out professional assistance as soon as a person is diagnosed with Dementia to help with the Caregiving basics, it’s especially important to consider in-home care or a professional live-in care service if the person living with Dementia is a risk to themselves and to others.

We are proud to offer compassionate and flexible live-in and in-home Dementia Care to individuals in the Toronto and Mississauga areas. Our team understands the importance of aging in a comfortable, familiar place. All of our team members are screened thoroughly to guarantee safe, qualified, and personalized care, and our Caregivers are carefully matched to their Clients based on medical and personal needs.

With confusion and memory loss being common traits of Dementia, aging in place is a beautiful way to ensure a family member or loved one experiences as little disruption as possible as they live with the illness.

How Is Vascular Dementia Diagnosed?

There is no specific test that determines if someone has Dementia, but doctors can nearly always diagnose it. They will also consider your medical history. This condition is often the result of stroke or heart disorders and blood vessels. Tests on blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar may also be required if they are not already part of your medical history, and they may want to rule out other conditions related to memory loss, such as thyroid disorders and vitamin deficiencies. If you notice Vascular Dementia symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, or slower thinking, talk to a doctor about getting a diagnosis and preparing to provide the right kind of care.

Vascular Dementia Treatment and Prevention

Because Vascular Dementia is caused by issues with blood flow, taking some measures to reduce the potential for heart disease or a stroke can help minimize the chances of developing the illness.

Some day-to-day changes to consider would be:

• Maintaining a heart-healthy diet, which will help to lower cholesterol levels.
• Cutting back on, or quitting, smoking.
• Reducing blood pressure. Blood pressure can be lowered by embracing a healthier diet, taking time to exercise, lowering alcohol consumption, and reducing stress levels. Lowering stress can be done through exercise and practicing mindfulness through meditation, journaling, or forest therapy.
• People with diabetes are also at risk of heart disease and stroke. It’s recommended that those with diabetes take their medications as per medical advice, attend health checks regularly and ask for advice from a health practitioner on other changes that can be made.

When it comes to Vascular Dementia treatment after it has developed, care is essential. The condition cannot be cured, so treatment focuses on care, as well as lifestyle changes and medicine that can manage blood pressure, cholesterol, blood clotting, and other related conditions.

Is Vascular Dementia Hereditary?

People living with Vascular Dementia may have the illness due to genetics. If a parent is living with the genetic disorder CADASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Sub-cortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy), they may pass this on to a child, which can, in turn, lead to the development of Dementia.

CADASIL affects the vessels in the white matter in the deeper tissues of the brain. People may start to experience symptoms in their mid-30s. The symptoms may include headaches to the extreme of migraines, seizures, and depression. Signs may lay dormant until the person is older, too.

Vascular Dementia Life Expectancy

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, the average life expectancy for individuals with Vascular Dementia is 5 years. The lower-than-average life expectancy compared to other types of Dementia is that the recurrence of a stroke or heart attack tends to be higher among these patients rather than complications from Dementia. That said, every individual is different, and the above number is just an average.

Connect with Integracare for Support

Living with and supporting someone with any form of Dementia is an emotionally and physically tiring experience. Know that there’s no shame or defeat in seeking help from specialists who can help both you and the person living with the illness to ensure the best possible quality of life for everyone involved.

Integracare has the best Dementia Caregivers in Toronto and Mississauga, with an absolute priority on companionship and engagement for those living with the illness. We also have top-tier training for 100% of our Caregivers. In fact, we are the only in-home care provider in the area that provides all of our Caregivers with ongoing training on the five facets of Dementia. We know that regular training is of utmost importance as new information on the illness is frequently made available. Consistent training guarantees that our Caregivers can assist our Clients by providing the most up-to-date care, allowing them to support their Clients to their fullest potential.

To learn more about our prestigious, Client-centred services, give us a call today.