Dementia
What is Demenita ?
- Dementia is a general term that represents a group of diseases of the brain that affects thinking, memory, reasoning, personality, mood and behavior. The slow decline in mental function interferes with activities of daily living.
- There are over 100 brain diseases that cause dementia and each form of dementia has a different cause.
- Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and is responsible for about 70% of dementia cases.
- The second most common cause is vascular dementia responsible for about 10% of dementia.
- The other causes of dementia are due to Parkinson disease, Lewy body, alcohol and multiple other causes.
Early symptoms and progression of dementia
- Forgetting things or recent events
- Getting lost while walking or driving
- Being confused even in familiar places
- Losing track of time
- Difficulty solving problems or making decisions
- Problems following conversations and trouble finding words
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks
As the disease progresses the need for help with personal care needs increases. People with dementia may not recognize family members and friends, develop difficulty in moving around and may fall, lose control of their bladder and bowel, have trouble eating and drinking and experience behavioral changes such as aggression and unpredictable behavioral disorders that are distressing to the person with dementia as well as those around them.