Alzheimer's disease

You can browse practitioners listed on Health Hunter on this page and search by location. Profiles show where each practitioner works and whether they offer telehealth, and you can request an appointment. Your GP is a good first step and can refer you to a specialist if needed.

Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that affect memory, thinking and behaviour enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. Other types include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia.

A GP can start the assessment by asking about your symptoms, doing memory screening tests and ordering blood tests to rule out other causes. They will usually refer you to a specialist, such as a geriatrician or neurologist, to confirm the diagnosis. You need a GP referral to claim a Medicare rebate for the specialist.

As Alzheimer's progresses, it can impact all aspects of daily life, including the ability to perform routine tasks, communicate, and maintain relationships. Patients may require increasing levels of care and support as the disease advances.

The exact cause of Alzheimer's is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Abnormal build-up of proteins in the brain, including amyloid plaques and tau tangles, is also associated with the disease.

Early signs of Alzheimer's include memory loss, difficulty completing familiar tasks, confusion with time or place, trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships, problems with speaking or writing, and misplacing things.