Young onset dementia, working age dementia and early onset dementia refer to people who develop symptoms before the age of 65. Our team is skilled in supporting younger people who live with dementia, family, and friends through Inspire's age appropriate services and specialist residential care.
Dementia is a broad term for a specific range of conditions that are caused by abnormal changes in the brain and affect people's cognitive abilities, behaviour, emotions, and relationships. People with dementia may experience feelings of distress and anxiety due to being disoriented and confused. Though commonly associated with older people, young onset dementia affects over 42,000 people in the UK. When it comes to a younger person living with dementia, we know that there can be further complications and sensitivities requiring appropriate support from specialist services.
When you are looking for specialist care and support for a younger person living with early onset dementia, Inspire Neurocare can support individuals and families with residential care in a modern, purpose-built environment and our approach that promotes independence. We guide and support individuals and families to cope with the unique challenges of an early onset dementia diagnosis, understanding the complexities of access the right care, which might include young children still living at home, the impact of the inability to work or take part in usual activities, financial commitments, and the individuals' response to the progression of their illness.
People with young onset dementia may experience decreased or poor judgment and withdrawal from work or social activities. People can often experience severe memory loss, mainly when it comes to learning new information and remembering recent events, become withdrawn or anxious, have difficulty concentrating, struggle to follow a conversation, and be confused about time and place.
As young onset dementia progresses, people may experience difficulties with speech and following a conversation, finding the right word, challenges with planning and organising, and becoming confused. Some people also experience problems judging distances or managing stairs. Often, younger people experience mood changes and may become anxious, depressed, withdrawn, and irritable.
Some people with vascular dementia may also experience stroke-like symptoms such as weakness and temporary paralysis on one side of the body. Younger people with Lewy Bodies dementia may also experience issues with sleep and may experience drowsiness and visual hallucinations. For some who live with frontotemporal dementia, symptoms might include a lack of social awareness and the risk of developing obsessions.
As dementia progresses, younger people with a dementia diagnosis are very likely to need constant support to ensure their safety in terms of mobility, behaviour, personal care and risk of choking, which can be very challenging outside of a specialist service. In the later stages of dementia, people can become aggressive, making it very difficult to continue caring for people in their own home.
Our specialist team is skilled in supporting people who live with a range of dementias, including Pick's disease, frontotemporal dementia, Korsakoff's syndrome, and other young onset dementias.
Younger people are more likely to have a rarer form of dementia, which can sometimes be genetic. Rarer forms of dementia experienced at a younger age can include Pick's disease, also known as frontotemporal dementia, which causes significant changes in personality and behaviour, and Korsakoff's syndrome, which is caused by a severe deficiency of thiamine and is often the result of alcoholism.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer's disease affects the connections between nerve cells in the brain. Proteins build up and form abnormal structures called 'plaques' which cause nerve cells to die and brain tissue to be lost. Vascular dementia accounts for about a third of cases and is caused by blocked blood vessels in the brain.
Lewy body dementia accounts for 5 to 10 percent of cases and is closely linked to Parkinson's disease.
Inspire's early onset dementia care approach sees the skilled team reduce anxiety by responding to people's feelings of confusion and distress, avoiding and de-escalating situations that may cause people to become agitated or upset.
Respecting the person's wishes as far as possible to ensure they can make decisions and choices about their life, Inspire Neurocare's therapists work with people with dementia to make everyday tasks easier or more achievable. The aim of this occupational therapy is to keep people living with as much independence as they can, for as long as possible. Keeping physically active is essential, and our physiotherapy team can support people to improve their mobility in the early stages of the disease.
Individuals diagnosed with early onset dementia may need support to come to terms with the impact of the disease. Changes in mood and confusion as the condition progresses can cause distress, and many younger people affected find support from fellow residents in a similar situation. Inspire Neurocare's neuropsychologists support people to assess and understand their emotional wellbeing, cognitive, and behavioural states, and are on hand to help people with dementia with the emotional and mental health implications of their changing lives.
Maintaining relationships with family, friends, and children is very important when people move from their own home into specialist early onset dementia care. At Inspire, people with dementia are supported to continue to do the things they love, maintain their well being and spend quality time with families. Inspire also supports younger people with dementia to access support groups and other community resources.
Residential care at specialist dementia care services allows people to lead good lives as the disease progresses. Inspire's team enable younger people to access the right care and expertise in a safe and supportive environment. Our specialist interdisciplinary team can support people to maintain their independence for as long as possible and reduce their feelings of distress.
Our highly trained interdisciplinary team of therapists includes speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists who develop personal rehabilitation plans that allow people to set personal goals that are most relevant to their lives. These teams are supported by our Life Skills Facilitators, who continue therapeutic interventions following sessions, and the Wellbeing and Lifestyle Coordinators, who ensure that people are helped to live their lives as they choose.
At Inspire Neurocare, people with dementia are supported with positive feedback and close observation. People are encouraged to exercise, socialise, and take part in meaningful activities to stimulate their minds. The support we provide encompasses a range of physical, behavioural, cognitive, emotional, communication, and social skills specifically developed for younger people with dementia.
At Inspire Neurocare, we work very closely with the individual, family members, the referring team, local authority, NHS commissioners, and any current care providers to ensure a positive transition to our service.
Families and individuals can also find support through the Young Dementia Network (see website) and Dementia UK.
Please contact us to arrange a virtual tour or to discuss a referral or admission.