According to the Alzheimer’s Association up to 50% of dementia cases involving people under the age of 65 may actually be the condition known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). More likely to hit at a younger age than those struck with Alzheimer’s, doctors are also now finding that the condition occurs more commonly than previously thought.
FTD begins with behavioral problems because nerve cells in the frontal lobes have died. Then, as the condition hits other parts of the brain, memory loss occurs. Other symptoms may include loss of inhibition affecting self-control, judgment, and the ability to make decisions, as well as apathy and loss of empathy. Eventually, the symptoms become similar to that of Alzheimer’s and many patients afflicted with FTD end up in nursing homes.
At Altman & Altman, LLP, our Boston nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers represent the families of patients who received poor care or were abused and sustained injuries or other health issues or even died as a result. Please contact our Massachusetts nursing home negligence law firm today.
A Few FTD Facts (From the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration):
• Onset often happens when a person is in his/her sixties or fifties, about 13 years before the average Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
• At least 50,000 Americans suffer from FTD • FTD is frequently misdiagnosed
FTD, like with all other forms of dementia, requires specialized care. You want to make sure that your loved one is at a facility that understands his/her condition and knows the type of medical needs and kinds of attention he/she needs. Unfortunately, dementia patients and those suffering from Alzheimer’s are easy prey for perpetrators of abuse or neglect. Many of them aren’t aware of what’s happening and may be unable to articulate their fears or concerns or report what happened.
Signs of Possible Boston Nursing Home Neglect:
• Regular sedation • Depression • Moodswings • Unexplained injuries • Emotionally withdrawn • Fearfulness or paranoia
• Bedsores • Sudden illnesses
Just this year, Massachusetts regulators finalized the minimum standards for the nursing care that is provided at dementia special care units. Now, workers at these facilities must be properly trained and there has to be a therapeutic activities director at the unit. That said, Boston nursing home abuse can still happen.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration
Nursing Homes, Mass.gov
More Blog Posts:
Harsh Winters Up the Risks of Massachusetts Slip and Fall Accidents, Fractures, and Not Just For The Elderly, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 18, 2014
Jury Issues $3M Topamax Injury Verdict Against Johnson & Johnson Unit, Drug Injury Lawyers Blog, April 2, 2014
Massachusetts Nursing Homes Get Dementia Care Standards, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 14, 2014