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Difference Between Alzheimer's & Senility

The terms "Alzheimer's" and "senility" both refer to a decline in mental function and the ability to carry out daily activities of living. Senility, another word for dementia, describes cognitive impairment that may occur in elderly individuals. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disease in which brain cells slowly die, resulting in behavior associated with senility or dementia.

  1. The Facts

    • Senility describes a group of symptoms associated with cognitive impairment. These include memory loss, decreased mental function, and reduced reasoning ability. A variety of conditions can cause senility. Proper treatment can reverse senility caused by depression, malnutrition, hormone or thyroid imbalances or medication interactions. However, senility caused by illnesses such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and vascular dementia cannot be reversed. Alzheimer's disease represents the leading cause of senility.

    Features

    • Irreversible senility associated with Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases starts with mild confusion and memory loss. Over time, it leads to irreversible brain damage that robs the individual of the ability to learn, reason and imagine. Sufferers commonly repeat things, forget appointments or earlier conversations, misplace objects and eventually forget the names of everyday objects and family members. Reversible senility is less likely to worsen and may disappear completely with proper treatment.

    Misconceptions

    • People sometimes use the terms senility, dementia and Alzheimer's interchangeably, but they're different. Senility is not an illness; rather, it's a group of symptoms that may be caused by an illness or condition. Senility and Alzheimer's disease are not normal parts of aging, although the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's does increase with age. While most cases of Alzheimer's are diagnosed in patients over 65, younger people can show signs of dementia and may have early-onset Alzheimer's.

    Significance

    • If an individual does show signs of senility or dementia, consult a physician to determine the cause. Depending on the cause, the senility may be reversible. If an incurable illness like Alzheimer's causes the senility, an early diagnosis may give patients an opportunity to treat symptoms and slow down the rate of decline.

    Considerations

    • If senility is irreversible, loved ones will need to help the patient to make sure he receives proper care and assistance. Precautions may need to be taken to ensure that the patient doesn't wander off or fall. It may be necessary to provide in-home care or admit the individual to a long-term care facility.

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