There are many different types of dementia – sadly, it means that most of the people who have it are not able to care for themselves as their disease progresses. Fortunately, places such as this care home Bridgwater can help people who are in this position.
There is one type of dementia that is particularly rare – it is known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease – better known as CJD. Many people may remember in the mid 1990’s this disease being in the news a lot as there was a link established between BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) and v CJD (variant CJD) – this meant that many cattle were slaughtered, and rules on cattle feed were tightened up, as it was coming from infected bone meal going back into the food chain.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is caused by a protein that affects the brain. The early symptoms of the disease are very similar to other forms of dementia – including mood changes and loss of memory. The person needs to have a lumbar puncture to diagnose the disease. This disease progresses very quickly, over weeks or months, and very rapidly the person suffering from it can experience shaking, incontinence, loss of speech and the inability to move parts of their body.
By the time the disease has got to this point, the sufferer is not aware of their disabilities, or even their surroundings. There is sadly no cure for it, but some drugs can be given to alleviate some of the symptoms that the person has.