#shawleveryday2019 Day 68

Is dementia considered a mental illness? Until I did my research for today's post, I didn't really know. Dementia has a physiological/neurological basis, typically as a result of brain damage due to disease or stroke, whereas mental illness is more psychological and manifests similarly to younger people.

Dementia tends to have these symptoms:

• confusion
• loss of words
• memory impairment
• mood swings

Mental illness in seniors includes:

• hopelessness
• losing interest in people or things that the person previously enjoyed
• agitation or aggression
• sleep disturbances
• anxiety about change
• delusions or hallucinations

It can be difficult to differentiate the two and it's important to not ignore mental health issues in seniors. Aging adults who may suffer from lack of mobility can become socially isolated and depressed. Properly diagnosing and treating mental illness in seniors can greatly improve and prolong their life.

Additional resources

• Dementia Diary - Dementia, mental health and mental illness are different, but have things in common
• Alzheimer's Society - Let’s talk about dementia, mental illness and mental health
• Symphony Senior Living - Dementia vs Mental Illness in Seniors
• America Senior Communities - Mental Illness vs Dementia in the Elderly

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