According to the 2023 USC Arnold School of Public Health’s Alzheimer’s Disease Registry, there are over 122,000 South Carolina residents currently diagnosed with a form of dementia. This does not include the number of people living with a form of dementia that has not been diagnosed. The National Institute of Health estimates that as many as 60% of Americans living with dementia have not been diagnosed.
Indeed, there is not currently a cure for any cause of dementia, so why is it important to seek an early and accurate diagnosis? Here are 7 big reasons:
It may not be dementia - Some symptoms that seem like dementia may not be dementia at all. Symptoms that mimic dementia may be caused by a medical condition that is treatable. Examples include depression, infection, dehydration, medication side effects, hormonal imbalance, and alcohol/drug abuse.
Symptom management - If there is a confirmed dementia diagnosis, interventions like those used to lower dementia risk can also help limit symptoms. These are most effective when implemented early. Examples include regular movement, social engagement, eating well, smoking cessation, and controlling other health issues like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
Access to drug therapies - Some ground-breaking medications approved by the FDA have proven to manage symptoms and some can now slow the progression of the disease causing those symptoms. However, many of these are only approved for those in the early stages of specific types of dementia. Identifying the type of dementia early could allow a person access to these new therapies.
Clinical trial opportunities - Knowing the cause of dementia symptoms early allows people to participate in and potentially benefit from clinical trials. To get connected to a clinical trial that makes sense for you, go to Alzheimer's Association Trial Match or Alzheimer's.gov clinical trials and research.
Improve health and financial outcomes - Early and accurate diagnosis can improve health outcomes and reduce complications. Studies have shown that a person diagnosed earlier is more likely to live longer and to do so in their own home. If diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), there are interventions that could prevent or delay the progression to dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Early Detection Fact Sheet, health and long-term care costs are also lower in people with diagnosed and managed MCI and dementia.
Planning - Early detection helps you and your family to be proactive. An early diagnosis allows you to set priorities based on what's important to you, such as traveling, deciding when to stop working, or planning important events. It also allows you time to make informed decisions about legal, financial and care matters.
For family members - Knowing the type of dementia early allows family members and caregivers to better understand the potential progression of the disease and to access the most appropriate care strategies tailored to that form of dementia. Accurate family medical history is also important for current and future family members to have and may become even more so as research in dementia advances.
There was a time in the not-so-distant past when the only way to definitively diagnose a form of dementia was through post-mortem autopsy. Today, the medical community can diagnose the type of dementia with at least 90% accuracy while that person is still living. Thanks to advancements in biomarkers including blood tests, brain imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid tests, brain changes in dementia can be detected years before the initial symptoms arise. This can be a game-changer for both dementia research as well as in the lives of those diagnosed. More information can be found on the earlier diagnosis page of the Alzheimer's Association website.
The big take-away here is this: If you or someone you know is experiencing challenges with cognition (e.g., concerns with memory, judgment, planning, problem-solving, visual processing, focus or personality changes), consult your doctor right away.
Learn more about warning signs, diagnosis, treatments, risk factors, care planning and other dementia topics by joining us for Dementia 101: The Basics, a free SCDOA webinar that introduces the key concepts we all should know about dementia.
Click here to register for our next Dementia 101: The Basics webinar.