"Dementia" and "Alzheimer's" seem to be used interchangeably, but that's not quite accurate.

Dementia is a general term for abnormal loss of memory and other intellectual capabilities of such a degree that it interferes with daily function. Both conditions change lives - not only those living with them at varying levels of awareness, but also their families, who tend to be the ones who take over aspects of life the affected person can no longer handle. More than that, the emotional aspects can be complex and weigh heavily.

Alzheimer's is a specific disease and form of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. The remaining 20 to 40 percent of dementias are due to other factors, such as strokes; neither stroke nor Alzheimer's disease is a "normal" part of aging. June is Alzheimer's Awareness Month.

While age is the greatest risk factor and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older, about 5 percent of patients have early onset Alzheimer's, appearing as early as age 40. So while the brain's aging can bring symptoms, age alone does not cause it. Alzheimer's goes beyond the common experiences of aging such as occasional forgetfulness or slower thinking.

Another risk factor of this progressive disease is genetics. Alzheimer's disease has been associated with both "risk" (increased likelihood) and "deterministic" (certainty) genes. The deterministic type is estimated to be present in only 5 percent of Alzheimer's cases. So in general, having a parent or sibling with the disease increases risk, and having more than one increases it further, but neither necessarily guarantees one will develop it. Once diagnosed it remains part of life, but there are ways to mitigate its impacts and perhaps improve daily function.

According to The Alzheimer's Association, 10 early signs of Alzheimer's are:

1. Memory loss which interferes with life. Forgetting an appointment and remembering it later is normal. Forgetting it ever happened, or asking the same question repeatedly, not normal.

2. Difficulty planning or solving problems which weren't difficult before

3. Difficulty completing daily tasks, such as finding the way to a familiar store, or managing bills

4. Confusion over time or place

5. Visual-spatial problems, such as trouble reading (more than simple vision loss), judging distance, or image contrast

6. Problems with spoken or written words, such as not knowing how to continue, frequent repetition, or using the wrong words

7. Misplacing things (more often than the average person, or in unusual places), or the inability to retrace steps

8. Poor judgment and decision making; inappropriate actions

9. Withdrawal (beyond simple weariness) from work or social activity, or new difficulty with old hobbies

10. Mood changes (e.g., depressed, irritable, confused, suspicious), beyond what's common in normal aging, such as preferring to keep to routines

Some or all of these may indicate Alzheimer's, or dementia of another form. Either way diagnosis is warranted.

There is no shortage of myths and scares about alleged causes of Alzheimer's; pay no attention, or at least investigate the basis and credentials of those making the original claim. Contrary to such myths, aluminum, aspartame (while somewhat unhealthy in other ways), and dental fillings do not cause this disease. For accurate, well-researched information and to find the many local support groups in the Inland Northwest see Alz.org or call (800) 272-3900.

Correction from Thursday's column: While Stephen Krashen received his Ph.D from UCLA, he retired from University of Southern California.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.