dementia support for carers – Under the Umbrella

If the Brain Is Shrinking, Where Does the Extra Fluid Come From?

Brain scans taken during the assessment and progression of dementia often show increasing amounts of fluid around and within the brain. If the brain is shrinking, where is all that fluid coming from? This article explains what cerebrospinal fluid is, why it becomes more visible as dementia progresses, and what different types of brain scan can tell us — including why no scan can ever tell the whole story of a person living with dementia.

GTKD Q&A

Why Do Professionals Use Different Dementia Assessment Tools — and What Happens When They Meet?

Alison Watson-Shields / June 18, 2026

When supporting someone living with dementia, you may hear different professionals use different tools and different language to describe the same person. A doctor might refer to the Global Deterioration Scale. An occupational therapist might discuss Allen Cognitive Levels. A dementia specialist might talk about GEMS States. This article explains what each tool measures, why they exist alongside one another, and what happens when professionals from different disciplines meet to discuss a person’s care.