Efforts are being made to look at people in middle age and examine if there is something we can do to prevent them from getting Alzheimer's. By the time you realize you have Alzheimer's disease, it would be very difficult to cure it. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia in the elderly. The other very common type is called vascular dementia. That is due to narrowing of the blood vessels that nourish the brain.
Some causes of dementia are reversible.
For instance, thyroid disease and vitamin B-12 deficiency and depression all can cause dementia and all can be treated. Some people with dementia get upset because they realize that they are having trouble and they do not understand why. Often times a hug and some reassurance will help very well. Some people get upset because they are having problems they can't explain, for example, maybe they are having pain somewhere or having trouble breathing. We have a rule in our medical office, any person with a dementia who has a behavior problem, must have an immediate medical evaluation to make sure that we are taking proper care.