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Linda drove home from her father’s appointment in Varsity with one word written on the back of a parking stub: dementia.
The doctor had been kind and unhurried. He had explained the memory testing, the scans, the next referral. But when Linda got home and started reading, she realized she did not actually know what her father had. Was dementia the same as Alzheimer’s? Was it something else? Why did her father see people in the living room who were not there, when none of the articles about Alzheimer’s mentioned anything like that?
Three months later, a specialist gave her a more specific answer. Her father had Lewy body dementia. And suddenly the hallucinations, the bad days followed by surprisingly clear ones, and the shuffling walk all made sense.
Understanding the different types of dementia is one of the most useful things a Calgary family can do after a diagnosis. Dementia is not one disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause, but it is not the only one, and each type unfolds in its own way.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s are not the same thing
The simplest way to hold the difference is this. Dementia is the umbrella. Alzheimer’s is one of the things under it.
Dementia describes a group of symptoms: memory loss, confusion, difficulty with reasoning, language, and daily tasks, severe enough to interfere with ordinary life. It is not a normal part of aging, and it is always caused by something happening in the brain.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common of those causes, responsible for the majority of dementia cases. But vascular disease, Lewy body disease, and frontotemporal degeneration can all cause dementia too. So can a combination of them.
This is why two families can both hear “dementia” from a doctor and go on to have very different experiences.
Why the type matters for families
It is tempting to treat the specific diagnosis as a detail for doctors. It is not.
The type of dementia shapes which symptoms appear first, how quickly things change, which risks to watch for at home, and even which medications may be unsafe. It also shapes what kind of daily support will actually help.
Families who know the type can prepare for what is likely coming instead of being blindsided by it. That preparation is often the difference between a crisis and a manageable change.
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s is the form most people picture when they hear the word dementia.
It usually begins gradually, with short-term memory. Repeating the same question within an hour. Forgetting a conversation from this morning while remembering 1968 in vivid detail. Misplacing things and becoming unsure where they went.
Over time, it affects language, judgment, orientation, and eventually physical abilities. The progression is typically slow and steady, often over many years.
At home, the most helpful supports are routine, gentle reminders, a calm and familiar environment, and patience with repetition. Safety planning around the stove, medications, and wandering becomes more important as the disease progresses. Our Alzheimer’s care service is built around exactly this kind of consistent, familiar support.
Vascular dementia
Vascular dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often after a stroke or a series of small strokes that may go unnoticed at the time.
What sets it apart is the pattern of decline. Rather than a gentle slope, it often moves in steps. A person may be stable for months, then noticeably worse after a new vascular event, then stable again.
Early symptoms are often less about memory and more about thinking. Slower processing, difficulty planning or organizing, poor judgment, and trouble following a multi-step task. Mood changes and apathy are common.
Because it is tied to blood vessel health, managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes with the medical team matters a great deal. At home, support often looks similar to stroke recovery care, with attention to mobility, fall risk, and any sudden change that could signal a new event.
Lewy body dementia
Lewy body dementia is less well known and frequently misdiagnosed, sometimes for years.
It often shows up with a distinctive mix of symptoms. Attention and alertness that fluctuate dramatically, with clear days and very confused days. Detailed visual hallucinations, often of people or animals. Movement changes similar to Parkinson’s, such as stiffness, a shuffling walk, and a tremor. Acting out dreams during sleep, sometimes years before other symptoms appear.
One point families should know: people with Lewy body dementia can be highly sensitive to certain medications, particularly some antipsychotics. Make sure every doctor, pharmacist, and emergency department knows the diagnosis.
At home, falls are a major concern, and the unpredictability can be exhausting for families. Caregivers experienced with both dementia and Parkinson’s care are especially valuable here.
Frontotemporal dementia
Frontotemporal dementia is the type most likely to surprise families, partly because it often begins at a younger age, frequently in a person’s 50s or early 60s.
It affects the parts of the brain that govern personality, behaviour, and language. Memory may stay relatively intact early on. Instead, families notice a change in who the person is. Loss of social filters. Impulsive decisions or spending. A lack of empathy that feels completely out of character. Compulsive habits, or new difficulty finding and understanding words.
Because the early signs look behavioural rather than cognitive, frontotemporal dementia is often mistaken for depression, a midlife crisis, or relationship trouble.
At home, support focuses on structure, redirection rather than confrontation, and protecting the person from decisions that could harm them financially or socially. Families often need as much support as the person themselves.
Mixed dementia
Many older adults have more than one type at the same time, most commonly Alzheimer’s combined with vascular changes. This is called mixed dementia, and it is more common than most families realize, especially in people over 80.
Symptoms can blend both patterns, which is one reason a diagnosis sometimes shifts over time as the picture becomes clearer.
Conditions that can look like dementia
Not every sudden change in thinking is dementia, and this is worth checking before assuming the worst.
Urinary tract infections, dehydration, medication side effects, vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid problems, poor sleep, and depression can all cause confusion that looks a lot like dementia. Many of these are treatable.
A sudden change over days, rather than a gradual one over months, is a strong signal to call the doctor promptly. Our articles on seniors and dehydration and recognizing early signs of dementia cover what to watch for.
Tips for families after a diagnosis
Ask which type. If the diagnosis is simply “dementia,” it is reasonable to ask the doctor whether a more specific type is suspected, or whether a specialist referral would help clarify it.
Keep a symptom log. Note dates, changes, good days and bad days. Patterns like fluctuation or step-like declines are clues that help the medical team.
Share the diagnosis with every provider. Especially with Lewy body dementia, where medication sensitivity is a real safety issue.
Plan while your loved one can take part. Conversations about wishes, finances, and future care are easier early on.
Adjust the home before you need to. Lighting, clear pathways, and simple safety changes reduce falls and confusion across every type.
Look after the caregiver. Every type of dementia is long and demanding. Respite care is not a luxury. It is what keeps family caregivers going.
How in-home care adapts to each type
Good dementia care at home is not one routine applied to everyone. It changes depending on the type and the stage.
With Alzheimer’s, caregivers lean on routine and gentle reminders. With vascular dementia, they watch closely for sudden changes and support mobility. With Lewy body dementia, they plan for fluctuation, manage fall risk, and respond calmly to hallucinations rather than arguing with them. With frontotemporal dementia, they provide structure and redirect behaviour with patience.
What stays constant is consistency. A familiar caregiver who knows the person, their history, and their triggers reduces agitation more than almost anything else. Our dementia care service covers all types, and our guide to dementia care at home in Calgary walks through the day-to-day side in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s?
Dementia is a general term for a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and daily functioning. Alzheimer’s disease is one specific cause of dementia, and the most common one. Everyone with Alzheimer’s has dementia, but not everyone with dementia has Alzheimer’s.
What are the most common types of dementia?
The main types are Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Many older adults have mixed dementia, which is a combination of more than one type, most often Alzheimer’s with vascular changes.
Which type of dementia progresses fastest?
Progression varies a great deal from person to person, even within the same type. Alzheimer’s often follows a slow, steady course. Vascular dementia tends to move in steps. Lewy body dementia can fluctuate from day to day. The medical team is the best source for what to expect in a specific case.
Can dementia be diagnosed as one type and later change?
Yes. Early symptoms can overlap, and a diagnosis sometimes becomes more specific as symptoms develop or after specialist assessment. It is also common for someone to have more than one type at once.
Why does my parent see things that are not there?
Visual hallucinations are a hallmark of Lewy body dementia, though they can occur in other types and with conditions like infections or medication side effects. Mention them to the doctor, since they can help clarify the diagnosis. At home, it usually helps to respond calmly and reassure rather than argue.
Can someone with any type of dementia stay at home?
Many people with all types of dementia live at home for years with the right support. What changes by type is the kind of support needed. The right combination of family involvement, home safety changes, and consistent in-home care often makes staying home possible for much longer than families expect.
Knowing the type changes the path
Linda’s father lived at home for four more years after his Lewy body diagnosis. The hallucinations did not go away, but the family stopped being frightened by them. They learned to expect the difficult days and make the most of the clear ones. And they made sure every doctor and pharmacist knew the diagnosis.
The word on the parking stub had felt like the whole story. It turned out to be only the first word of it.
If your family has received a dementia diagnosis and you would like to talk through what support at home could look like, the Compassion Senior Care team is here. You can learn more on our dementia care and Alzheimer’s care pages, or reach out whenever you are ready.
