Dementia refers to a deterioration in cognitive function and loss of certain thinking abilities, such as memory, judgment, problem-solving, language, and orientation. This syndrome typically affects the elderly population, but it is not considered a normal part of aging. Dementia is an umbrella term that encompasses a number of different medical conditions, with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for between 60% and 80% of cases. Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia account for between 5% and 10% of cases each. Given the physical, psychological, social, and economic impact of dementia, it is a leading cause of disability and dependence among the elderly population worldwide.
Signs and symptoms of dementia vary from one person to the next, each of which can be categorized as early, middle, or late-stage dementia. The onset of early-stage dementia is very gradual and is characterized by forgetfulness, getting lost in familiar places, and losing track of time. Middle stage dementia is more obvious and is characterized by getting lost at home, forgetting names and recent events, needing help with personal care, noticeable changes in behavior, and having trouble communicating. Late-stage dementia involves inactivity and near-total dependence, which is characterized by difficulty walking, becoming unaware of time and place, trouble recognizing friends and relatives, increased need for assisted self-care, and changes in behavior that can escalate to aggression.
Dementia is caused by changes in or damage to the brain. As such, the conditions that typically cause dementia are Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, severe head injury, Huntington’s disease, leukoencephalopathies, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, multiple-system atrophy, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and various infections. Many of these causes are also referred to as types of dementia since dementia itself is not a disease, but rather a name that refers to a group of conditions.
The main risk factor for dementia is aging, though there are also a handful of risk factors that individuals can control. To decrease the risk of dementia, experts recommend exercising regularly, refraining from smoking, decreasing alcohol consumption, controlling weight, eating healthy, and maintaining normal levels of cholesterol. blood pressure, and blood sugar. Depression, social isolation, low educational attainment, and cognitive inactivity can also contribute to the onset of dementia. Approximately 50 million people suffer from dementia worldwide, 60% of whom live in low-income and middle-income countries. Moreover, at any given time, about 5% to 8% of people above the age of 60 have dementia.
Doctors diagnose dementia by looking at the patient’s medical history, conducting a physical exam and laboratory tests, and identifying characteristic changes in thinking, behavior, and day-to-day function. While there is no treatment to cure or change the course of dementia, there is a care plan that offers support to both the sufferers and their families. The primary goals of this care plan include early diagnosis, optimizing physical health and mental well-being, treating accompanying physical illnesses as well as behavioral and psychological symptoms, and providing long-term support to the sufferer, his or her family, and the caregivers.