What is Vascular dementia?

My Mom has vascular and mixed dementia the doctors guess is. Hardening of the arteries affecting blood flow to the brain. My Mom has all the same signs as when I read about alzheimers so who knows. She no longer can walk or speak or swallow well but has been this way over 4 years, how long does the last stage go on, forever? God I love her, its just so hard :o(

Vascular dementia as a practical matter differs from Alzheimer dementia in that memory of familiar people may never be lost. Judgment, insight, and empathy skills are more affected early; short term rather than long term memory is lost or impaired.

Oxygen can help with vascular dementia. It helps my mother.

Thanks for explaining Vascular Dementia.... As for my Partner, he acts like he might have had a small stoke. He speaks fluent German and our friend was just here and said he is not talking clear German any longer. His left eye sort of gave me an idea he may have had a small stoke. It is not open as much and it is kind of limp..

He is not remembering things he remembered only two days ago. I am very concerned. I will call the nurse. He just got SO angry because he thought I was selling something to cheap. He then proceeded to get angry AGAIN about me loosing things. I know others go through this.

There is a difference between dementia and Alzheimers. My boss, an RN, gave me a simple explanation. Dementia, u know its a stove but can't remember how to use it. Alzheimers, you don't even remember its a stove.

Dear Bookworm - You will find lists of symptoms and stages for dementia and Alz. Please bear in mind that the person affected may not progress in the exact order shown. My mom showed signs from different stages at the same time. It gets difficult to know exactly which stage the patient is in. It's sometimes determined by the preponderance of symptoms being shown. In which stage are MOST of the symptoms.

Then again - the person can stay in one stage for a year and then whip through the next stage in a couple of months. Take care.

bookworm, there is a good site for information at dementia at www.alz.org. It discusses the different types of dementia and the stages of Alzheimer's. Does the person you are caring for have Alzheimer's or vascular dementia. Some people have both at the same time, a condition called mixed dementia.

How long, after someone is diagnosed with Alzheimers, does recognition of other people stop?

bookworm54: When I went through the process of getting my mom diagnosed with dementia, I learned that Vascular dementia is a common form of dementia caused by an impaired blood supply to the brain. Sometimes this is caused by a series of small strokes, and tends to happen more suddenly than other forms of dementia. I tried to put this as simply as I could so it's easier to understand. Sometimes when doctors give information, I find it easier to put into my own words. Hope this helps, and best of luck with everything.