Recognizing the Symptoms of Dementia with IDD Diagnosing dementia is rarely straightforward, but can be even more challenging for those in the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) community. Many of the most common symptoms of dementia such as language challenges and difficulty with coordination are often things people with IDD already struggle with. This can make it all the more difficult to separate symptoms of dementia from their pre-existing symptoms. Read more
Understanding and Diagnosing an Older Loved One’s Dementia- or IDD-Related Depression Dementia, intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and depression can, unfortunately, be closely linked. An estimated 30 to 40 percent of individuals diagnosed with dementia may also suffer from depression. This number includes older adults in the IDD population who also have dementia—and who are already fifty percent more likely to struggle with mental health conditions, according to the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health. Read more
