Dementia and seizures

What is dementia? 

Around 900,000 people in the UK live with dementia, which is a progressive neurological disorder causing symptoms like memory loss and communication issues. Dementia is most prevalent in those over 65, and different types of dementia cause unique symptoms. Every person is affected in their own way, but in most cases, specialist dementia care will eventually be required due to behavioural and physical symptoms like mobility loss.

“While most people think of memory problems when they hear the word dementia, the condition encompasses a range of complex symptoms…”

– Dr Sara Imarisio, Head of Research from Alzheimer’s Research UK

One lesser-known symptom is seizures, which studiessuggest are 6-10 times more prevalent in older people with dementia.

What might a dementia seizure look like?

According to a2021 study, generalised or focal seizures are the two most common in dementia:

• Generalised tonic-clonic seizurescause people to become unresponsive and possibly convulse, but many epileptic seizures don’t look like this.
• Focal onset seizuresare what most people with epilepsy experience, and are more common in those with dementia. These may look like brief stints of amnesia, unresponsiveness, or involuntary repetitive motions like chewing – they may be referred to as“silent seizures”.

The confusion that occurs in dementia can sometimes make seizures difficult to recognise, and slower to diagnose and treat. If you suspect you or an older loved one has experienced one or multiple seizures, speak to a GP as soon as possible.

Why Home Instead?

A GP or specialist will need to check and treat an older person’s dementia-related seizures. However, while they find the best medications or treatments, you may still need to manage seizures in the meantime, which can be distressing for families.

Professional home care can make this easier, and at Home Instead, our Care Professionals are trained in person-centred dementia care that includes knowledge on how to manage seizures. We use a programme that is City & Guilds Assured, and we are rated 9.6 on Homecare.co.uk. Plus, many of our locations are deemed “outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), so you can feel comfortable leaving your older loved one with dementia in our capable hands without worrying about potential seizures.