FTD is frequently misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s, depression, Parkinson’s disease, or a psychiatric condition. On average, it currently takes 3.6 years to get an accurate diagnosis.
Partners in FTD Care
AFTD’s Partners in FTD Care is developed by a committee of clinical nurse educators, social workers, and family and professional caregivers, with contributions from outside specialists to promote greater knowledge and understanding of FTD and share best care practices.
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Troubles & Tips: Activity Recommendations for FTD
Q: People with FTD don’t respond to planned activities the way our older Alzheimer’s residents do and it’s frustrating. What can we do to engage them – do you have any activity recommendations? A. The effect of disease in the frontal and temporal lobes is seen in social behavior, information processing and self-regulation of behavior….
Case Study: Activities for Individuals with Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD)
People with FTD disorders have impairments that affect their participation in activities differently than people with Alzheimer’s. While the loss of executive functions (planning, organizing and initiating) and awareness of social behavior challenge traditional activity planning, trying individualized strategies will prove rewarding. Who is Hope Ann Lynn Hope moved into a memory care assisted living…
Troubles & Tips: PPA Subtypes
Types of PPA Q: If non-fluent/agrammatic is one type of PPA, what are the others? How do PPA subtypes differ? A. Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a language disorder that affects a person’s ability to speak, read, write, and understand what others are saying. It is a disease process that affects the frontal and temporal…
Case Study: Primary Progressive Aphasia, Non-Fluent Type (nfvPPA)
To effectively care for individuals with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), such as the non-fluent variant of primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA), it is essential to understand how the disease progresses over time, affecting both the patient and their family. This case study follows one patient from diagnosis to admission to assisted living. Early disease, October 2007: Lilly…
Troubles & Tips: New Compulsive Behaviors
New Compulsive Behaviors Q: Just when you find a way to manage one compulsive behavior, the person develops another and you just have to start over. How can you stay one step ahead? A. It can be exhausting to keep up with the compulsive behaviors in FTD. Be careful that your reactions to the behaviors…
Case Study: Compulsive Behavior in Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD)
Compulsive behaviors are common among people with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD). These behaviors include simple repetitive movements (e.g., clapping, rubbing, picking at skin), complex ritualistic actions (counting, checking, repetitive trips to the bathroom, walking fixed routes, hoarding) and stereotypical repetition of words or phrases, such as “you bet” and “just so.” While most of these behaviors…
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- Bridging the Gap Between FTD and ALS (April 2025)
- Detecting and Diagnosing FTD (Winter 2023)
- It May Not Be Parkinson’s: A Look at Corticobasal Degeneration (Winter 2021)
- Not Too Young: The Most Common Dementia Under 60 (Summer 2021)
- When the Conversation Stops: Logopenic Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia (Fall 2020)
- An Evolving Understanding of ALS with Frontotemporal Degeneration (Spring 2018)
- Maximizing Communication Success in Primary Progressive Aphasia (Winter 2016)
- Falls and Dysphagia in PSP (Summer 2015)
- When the Meaning is Lost – Semantic Variant PPA (Fall 2013)
- Primary Progressive Aphasia, Non-Fluent Type (Fall 2012)
- Behavioral Variant FTD (Fall 2011)
- A Lack of Empathy and Emotional Connection: A Common Symptom of FTD (June 2025)
- Identifying and Describing Communication Difficulties Across the FTD Spectrum (February 2025)
- The Heterogeneity of FTD (December 2024)
- I’m Only Trying to Help: Approaches to Resistant Behavior in the Home (Spring 2020)
- Only Part of the Answer: Medications and FTD (Fall 2019)
- Everything Is Just Fine: Anosognosia in Frontotemporal Degeneration (Winter 2019)
- Understanding and Managing Apathy to Improve Care in FTD (Winter 2018)
- Changes in Eating and Managing Related Compulsive Behavior (Winter 2015)
- Emotionally Absent: The Loss of Empathy and Connection in FTD (Fall 2014)
- Sexual Behavior in FTD (Summer 2014)
- Why Does He Act Like That? Aggressive Behaviors in FTD (Spring 2014)
- It’s Complicated! Incontinence Management in FTD (Winter 2014)
- In FTD, Roaming is Not Wandering (Spring 2013)
- Compulsive Behavior in FTD (Summer 2012)
- How to Approach Aggressive Behavior (Spring 2012)
- Communication Strategies in FTD (Winter 2012)
- The Road to Timely and Accurate FTD Diagnosis (August 2025)
- Connect, Learn, Engage: AFTD's 2024 Education Conference (Spring 2024)
- Black/African Americans and FTD (Summer 2023)
- Connect, Learn, Engage: AFTD's 2023 Education Conference (Spring 2023)
- For Healthcare Professionals — What Families Need After an FTD Diagnosis (Fall 2022)
- Finding the Way: Successfully Transitioning to Residential Care (Summer 2022)
- Does It Run in the Family?: The Genetics of FTD (Winter 2022)
- Not Too Young: The Most Common Dementia Under 60 (Summer 2021)
- Life During a Pandemic: FTD Facility Care Amidst COVID-19 (Summer 2020)
- Rethinking Palliative Care: A New Approach to Managing FTD (Winter 2020)
- When the Diagnosis Doesn’t Fit: Challenges in Diagnosing FTD (Summer 2017)
- Family Participation in FTD Research (Spring 2017)
- Comfort Care and Hospice in Advanced FTD (Fall 2016)
- Think Like an Occupational Therapist: The Importance of Individualized Activities in FTD Care (Summer 2016)
- FTD When There Are Kids in the Home: Creating a Village of Support (Spring 2016)
- Easing the Transition: Residential Long-Term Care and FTD (Fall 2015)
- FTD Symptom or Pain – How Can You Tell? (Summer 2013)
- Activities for Individuals with FTD (Winter 2013)
Educational Materials
- Changes in Behavior Chart summarizes FTD symptoms and interventions.
- AFTD's resource on Managing Aggressive Behavior in FTD
- Resources List
