Caregivers' Corner: Is it dementia or Alzheimer's?

DEAR MARY: What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer's disease?

DEAR READER: This is a question I'm often asked. Basically, Alzheimer's disease is a dementia, but not all dementias are Alzheimer's disease.

Dementia is defined as a syndrome (a set of symptoms) of cognitive (thinking) problems arising from brain cell damage that includes memory impairment and functional decline. There are approximately 76 different kinds, and Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of all cases. Think of it this way: If someone said the word "cancer," wouldn't you think, "What...