Is dementia a terminal illness?

There are many forms of dementia and one form, the most common form, is Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease and if you live long enough, it can be the cause of death. Most people who die with Alzheimer's died from something else.

There are other forms of dementia, though, like vascular dementia, frontal temporal dementia, many forms. And while they can lead to death, there's usually another immediate cause of death. It's important to ask your healthcare provider what form of dementia you are diagnosed with.