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Mental Illness & Dementia:
How To Tell The Difference
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: March 20th, 2023

How Cognitive Decline Can Affect Mental Health
  • Irritability
  • Restlessness (i.e. pacing, fidgeting)
  • Feeling sad and hopeless
  • Increased incidents of aggression
  • Hypersomnia or insomnia
  • Apathy toward activities previously enjoyed
  • Exhibits signs of delusions
  • Expresses unfounded suspicions or paranoia
  • Hallucinations (visual or audio)
  • Refuses to cooperate with caregiver
  • Anxiety about normal activities
  • Difficulty communicating
  • Confusion
  • Increasing issues with memory
  • Personality and emotional changes

Not only do these symptoms negatively impact the patient, they can also have negative consequences for the caregiver.

HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE
Knowing how to tell the difference between a mental illness and dementia is key. When thinking of dementia, people often lump it in with mental illness, since it involves brain function. But there are some important differences that a geriatric health care specialist must consider when making an accurate diagnosis.

Even though dementia does impact mental health, it is not a mental illness. It’s a brain disorder that may cause a host of symptoms, including profound memory loss and difficulty with communication. Sadly, misdiagnosis of dementia as a mental illness occurs far too often. This occurs because some behaviors associated with mental illness also manifest with dementia.

Once your elderly loved one receives the correct diagnosis, he or she can begin receiving treatment protocols that will best address the manifesting symptoms.

Lyght Bulb Moments is here to help. If you’re struggling with the changes to your everyday life and the struggles your loved one is experiencing, reach out for help from the compassionate professional staff at Lyght Bulb Moments.

Call Today For A Free, No-Obligation Consultation.
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10 Possible Signs Of Mental Illness
In Your Elderly Loved Ones
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: February 15th, 2023

Undiagnosed Mental Illness In Seniors Increases Suicide Risk
Learn to spot possible signs of mental illness in elderly loved ones so you can help them receive the support they need to thrive. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 20 percent of people over 65 experience some form of mental health concerns. The good news is that 80% of these issues respond very well to treatment.

Left untreated, mental health issues can increase suicide risk, especially in the elderly. But to get treated, a person with mental illness needs a professional diagnosis.

Look over these 10 signs that could indicate mental or cognitive illness in your elderly loved one:

CHANGES IN APPETITE. Uncharacteristic decrease or increase in appetite as well as sudden weight loss or gain could indicate the beginnings of a mental health issue.

CHANGES IN HYGIENE HABITS. People with mental illness sometimes lose the desire or motivation to change clothes, bathe, brush their teeth, or groom their hair. Alternatively, some may unexpectedly begin to obsess about cleanliness and become obsessive about personal hygiene.

SLEEP DISTURBANCES. Sudden changes in sleeping habits, such as sleeping excessively or having great difficulty getting to sleep and staying asleep may point to possible mental health struggles.

LOSS OF INTEREST IN FAVORITE PASTIMES. When people, of any age, lose interest in hobbies or activities they typically found fun and enjoyable, this could indicate depression.

DISORIENTATION OR CONFUSION. Confusion or disorientation may indicate onset of dementia, but it also may be a sign of psychosis.

NEW PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS. Seniors who exhibit unexplained physical symptoms like profuse sweating, shaking, muscle tension, or changes in bowel habits should be evaluated for Parkinson’s disease and mental illness.

SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL. Seniors who suddenly withdraw from social activities may have depression or anxiety.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE. People of all ages, including elderly, may begin consuming more alcohol than usual, abuse medications, eat unhealthy foods as a coping mechanism for mental struggles.

EXPRESS FEELINGS OF DESPAIR OR WORTHLESSNESS. People with serious depression or other mood disorders (i.e. bipolar) often feel overwhelmed by feelings of despair, sorrow, emptiness, or uselessness.

PERSONALITY CHANGES. One common symptom of dementia or mental illness involves sudden personality changes. The person may become inappropriately angry, become tactless with others, or make inappropriate comments.

If you notice some of these symptoms in an elderly person you love, make arrangements for him or her to be evaluated by a mental health professional. The correct diagnosis marks the first step to getting appropriate treatment and a better quality of life.
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Celebrity Bruce Willis Receives
Dementia Diagnosis
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: February 15th, 2023

Diagnosis Comes Less Than A Year After Retirement Due To Aphasia

The family of celebrity Bruce Willis revealed the actor received a diagnosis of dementia. Less than a year before, 67-year-old Willis announced his retirement from acting as he was suffering from aphasia. Aphasia is a disorder, which affects communication, making language expression and understanding difficult. 
 

THE HOLLYWOOD ICON'S DOCTORS SAY HE HAS FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA


Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) affects the part of the brain located behind the forehead. Symptoms of FTD differ from the typical memory issues associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia types. Some typical FTD symptoms may include things like:
  • Repetitive and compulsive movements
  • Slow speech
  • Trouble comprehending common words like ‘table’
  • New interest and obsession with timekeeping
  • Loss of everyday politeness and manners
  • Repeated use of certain word phrases
  • Personality changes
  • Diminished ability to solve everyday problems
  • Inability to show sympathy and interest in others
  • Memory loss
  • Several other possible issues with cognitive ability

Although FTD is rare, it’s one of the most common dementia-type diseases in those under 65 years of age, according to the Mayo Clinic. Like Alzheimers and other types of dementia, FTD gets progressively worse as time passes.

As the disease progresses, more areas of the brain become damaged and symptoms begin to resemble those in the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Treatments involve therapies to ease symptoms and help elevate the affected person’s quality of life as much as possible.

Sufferers often need round-the-clock care in the later stages of FTD. Rate of progression varies from person to person, so life expectancy ranges anywhere from two to 10 years, sometimes longer. 
 

HOW FAMILIES DEAL WITH A LOVED ONE WITH DEMENTIA


Willis’ current wife, Emma Heming and ex-wife Demi Moore have put their differences aside and joined together in an effort to rally behind the star. Willis and Moore have three daughters together, now grown, who are also involved in caring for him as well. Both of the women revealed the agonizing grief they experienced directly after the diagnosis. This is a normal reaction to this kind of life-altering news whether the loved one is a famous actor or a regular everyday person.

Learning how to deal with their loved one’s new behaviors, communication issues, difficulty with daily activities, and other complications is key to peace of mind. This is where education and coaching from experienced, compassionate professionals in dementia care helps so much.
 

BEST CARE FOR DEMENTIA PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES


Dementia patients definitely benefit from strong family support, but it’s also important to involve care services from compassionate caring professionals. This takes some of the pressure off of loved ones, helping them avoid burnout.

Lyght Bulb Moments® provides consultations and services to help dementia patients, like Bruce Willis, experience important “Lyght Bulb Moments” and improve quality of everyday life.

Consulting with a dementia care specialist will provide much needed education and individualized care plans to address the family’s unique needs related to caring for a loved one with dementia.
 
If You Have A Loved One With Dementia,
Contact Lyght Bulb Moments®
To Set Up A Free, No-Obligation Consultation.
CALL TODAY!
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For Families:
Tips For Communicating With
Professional Care Partners
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: January 26th, 2023

Doctors and other healthcare professionals make up the heart of critical care for your loved one living with dementia. They work together with family, friends, and other trusted individuals to provide support during the patient’s life with the disease. It’s imperative that the dementia patient’s family develop and maintain clear channels of communication with professional care partners.
Frequent and open communication will ensure your loved one receives the best care possible.

People with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia may experience changes in communication skills and self-care abilities, including:
  • Frustration when communication doesn’t seem to be working
  • Difficulty paying attention during conversations
  • Understanding the meaning of simple words and sentences
  • Frequent loss of train of thought
  • Remembering how to complete simple, common tasks like getting dressed, paying bills, preparing food

This means it’s up to family members to discuss concerns and changes in behavior with professional care partners on a regular basis.
 

TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH PROFESSIONAL CARE PARTNERS


When your loved one is first diagnosed, take the time to understand what to expect as the disease progresses and how to cope with new symptoms and behaviors. The care team will have printed and digital resources to share with you. These will be invaluable tools for educating yourself and other family members about the disease.

SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY CONSIDER ASKING AT THIS STAGE INCLUDE:

- What is my loved one’s official diagnosis?
- What tools and tests were used to make the diagnosis?
- What are these tests designed to measure?
- Could my loved one’s symptoms be caused by anything else?
- How will the disease progress?
- Are there daily activities I can encourage the patient to carry out that may help him or her have a better quality of life with the disease?
- How can I prepare for the future as the disease progresses?
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Think Slow
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: September 16th, 2022

For those who care for Persons Living With Dementia (PLWDs), you’ve seen how quickly things can get out of hand, as the person in your care faces an obstacle and becomes upset and frustrated.

This is common, and it’s a challenge for the care partner—because often, an escalation with the PLWD leads to an escalation in frustration in the care partner.

When that happens, think slow.
Simple situations spiral out of control frequently because the care partner’s instinctive reaction is to try to move quickly to restore calmness. Ironically, this can make things worse because the last thing you need in a situation where they’re no threat of harm is urgency.

So think slow.
This is a central point of the teachings of Teepa Snow, whose “Positive Approach To Dementia Care™” is the basis for the care I teach. When a situation becomes negative, a way to bring things back to calmness is to take the time to re-frame it.

So, instead of the PLWD asking about the same thing over and over, getting more frustrated as the care partner becomes more frustrated, switch things up. The care partner can re-frame the situation by asking the PLWD the same question. This can change the conversation, slowing it down, so the PLWD has to think about an answer. Everyone has to think slow, so the emotion of the moment changes. And the stress level reduces, giving everything a chance to re-set.

It’s important to remember—both for professional and family care partners—that dementia takes away the ability to retain the most immediate information necessary to handle what’s happening right now. Without knowing these cues to carry on a conversation or keep to a task, a PLWD is at an extreme disadvantage. So help out by thinking slow, and slowing the pace of life.

It makes more lyght bulb moments happen.




Food For Thought: Sundowning
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: August 12th, 2022

Dr. Tiney Ray Discusses The Common Problem Of Sundowning
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Sensory Overload And Dementia
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: August 4th, 2022

Think about what happens when you have too much going on at one time.

The TV’s blaring. Kids are asking permission to do things you’d rather they didn’t.
The phone’s ringing and you’re getting a text. And you only have another 30 minutes to get dinner ready. Pretty overwhelming, isn’t it?

Now think about doing this when you’re not at the top of your game, or if you’re sick with the flu.
You can see how much more difficult that can be, and how you could get overcome by the situation pretty easily.

That’s what can happen with a person living with dementia in everyday situations—situations that you wouldn’t consider stressful. But to an individual whose mental capabilities have been diminished by the disease, anything unexpected or non-routine can be daunting.

So it’s important for care partners to be aware that even though the person living with dementia is seeming to function fine one moment, he or she may be stressed and overwhelmed the next.

A classic example of this is “sundowner’s” syndrome, where the person living with dementia becomes more agitated and confused late in the day, as the sun goes down and the light around them changes.

So what should you do when this happens? Here are some possible responses:
 
  • CUT BACK ON THE STIMULI AROUND THE PERSON. If there’s a lot going on with other people, animals, or electronics, see about reducing or eliminating some of these distractions.
  • REMAIN CALM YOURSELF. If the person living with dementia sees the care partner getting upset, it only compounds the situation. Keep your cool.
  • REFOCUS ATTENTION ON AN ACTIVITY THAT THE PERSON LIVING WITH DEMENTIA ENJOYS, one that tends to be calming. This redirection can help settle the person and allow a “recharge” so the rest of the day is easier.

Remind yourself that what’s manageable for you may be way too much for the person under your care. When you look at the world from that perspective, you can see paths forward that can help both of you.




Dehydration And Persons
Living With Dementia
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: July 19th, 2022



Food For Thought:
Support Groups
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: July 6th, 2022

Dr. Tiney Ray Of Lyght Bulb Moments Discusses The Value Of Support Groups For Caregivers Of People Living With Dementia
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Grief Is A Thing
By Dr. Tiney Ray · Published On: June 23rd, 2022

One typically doesn’t associated grief with someone who’s still living, and caregivers of Persons Living With Dementia my find themselves surprised at how they experience sudden feelings of grief.

It’s a common occurrence. Because even though you may not have physically lost a loved one or a patient, you do see the loss of who that person used to be before dementia. That’s a significant human loss.

And in some ways, it can be more devastating than a death, because even though you’re being a caregiver, you feel helpless as the personality of the PLWD slips away.

So if you find yourself experiencing feelings of grief, understand that it’s perfectly normal. And that you can do something about them. Face up to your grief. Realize that it’s OK to have these feelings. Think about the things that will help you cope with them. Realize that you will experience feelings of grief more than once.

Psychologists have identified five stages of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Sadness, and Acceptance. These don’t always occur in order, so if you find yourself in the midst of being upset without a clear reason, or thinking that the PLWD isn’t going through the disease, realize that it could be attributed to the grieving process.

Don’t go through it alone. Talk to others—friends, family, or support groups, for example. In the counseling I do for families and professionals, we encourage dialogue so that feelings don’t get bottled up, and so others can tell you how they managed their feelings. Realize that some people may not understand. That’s OK; these people may not have direct experience with dementia, and don’t realize the emotional impact. Don’t second guess yourself—concentrate on the things that allow you to manage and still provide care for your PLWD. And yourself.

Like many aspects of dementia care, you will find yourself from time to time in uncharted territory with your own feelings. Realize that’s, for better or worse, part of the process. When you do, managing gets easier.