03/30/2026
🌂 Under the Dementia Umbrella: How Different Dementias Show Up in Real Life
Dementia is not a single condition. It is an umbrella that covers several different diseases, each with its own patterns, challenges, and emotional weight. Families often tell me, “Flo, something is changing… but I can’t put my finger on it.” And that’s exactly why understanding the type of dementia matters. Behaviour is communication. When we understand the pattern, we respond with compassion instead of confusion. Research consistently shows that early recognition of dementia type improves care outcomes and reduces caregiver stress (Alzheimer’s Society, 2024).
Alzheimer’s Dementia: The Slow Unravelling of Memory
Alzheimer’s is the most common type, and it often begins quietly. You’ll notice the same question repeated every few minutes, or a loved one insisting they haven’t eaten — even with the plate still warm in front of them. They may forget recent conversations but recall childhood stories with perfect clarity. This “short-term memory first” pattern is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s (NICE, 2022). In real life, it looks like Mum packing the same handbag five times, or Dad accusing you of not visiting — even though you were there an hour ago. It’s not stubbornness. It’s the disease speaking.
Vascular Dementia: The Sudden Steps Downward
Vascular dementia behaves differently. Instead of a slow, steady decline, you see stepwise changes — sudden drops in ability after a stroke or small vessel damage. One day they can dress themselves; the next day they cannot. You might notice slower thinking, difficulty planning, or sudden emotional changes. Families often describe it as “good days and bad days,” but the shifts are sharper and more noticeable. This pattern aligns with the brain changes caused by reduced blood flow (Stroke Association, 2023). It’s not inconsistency — it’s the brain trying to reroute around damaged pathways.
Lewy Body Dementia: When Reality Blurs
Lewy Body Dementia is one of the most misunderstood types. It brings vivid hallucinations — often animals, children, or people who aren’t there. A loved one may say, “There’s a little boy in my room,” or “Can you see that cat on the sofa?” They may also fluctuate dramatically: alert and chatty in the morning, confused and drowsy by afternoon. REM sleep disturbances, stiffness, and sensitivity to antipsychotic medication are also common (Dementia UK, 2024). This is not “seeing things.” It is a neurological condition affecting perception, movement, and sleep.
Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD): When Personality Shifts
FTD hits the front of the brain — the part responsible for behaviour, judgement, and empathy. This is where families feel the emotional punch. A gentle, polite person may suddenly become rude, impulsive, or socially inappropriate. They may overeat, overspend, or lose awareness of personal boundaries. Others may become emotionally flat, showing little empathy or interest. Because memory often stays intact in the early stages, FTD is frequently misdiagnosed as depression or a mental health condition (Brain Charity, 2023). But these behaviours are not intentional — they are symptoms of a brain under strain.
Other Types: Huntington’s and Beyond
Some dementias come with physical symptoms alongside cognitive decline. In Huntington’s disease, for example, involuntary movements (chorea) appear alongside difficulties with planning, concentration, and emotional regulation. Families often notice fidgeting, jerky movements, or difficulty controlling limbs long before memory changes become obvious. These mixed presentations remind us that dementia is not one-size-fits-all — it is a spectrum of neurological conditions with overlapping features.
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❤️ A Final Word to Caregivers
If you’re caring for someone under this umbrella, hear me clearly: you are not imagining it. You are not failing. You are responding to a brain that is changing. Understanding the type of dementia doesn’t just help you care better — it helps you breathe again. It helps you release guilt, frustration, and the pressure to “fix” what is not fixable. Knowledge gives you compassion. Compassion gives you strength. And strength gives you the ability to love them through every stage.
You are doing holy work.
You are seen.
You are not alone.
