What is Dementia?
Dementia is not a single disease but a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. It describes a range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills, enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells, affecting people differently depending on the area of the brain affected.
Symptoms of Dementia
Dementia symptoms vary depending on the cause but commonly include:
- Memory Loss: Especially issues with short-term memory, forgetting events, repeating questions, or relying on electronic devices or family members for things they used to handle on their own.
- Communication Problems: Difficulty finding the right words, speaking, understanding, or expressing thoughts.
- Reasoning and Judgment: Challenges in dealing with complex tasks, poor understanding of safety, or making poor decisions.
- Visual Perception: Problems with visual and spatial abilities, such as getting lost while driving.
- Mood Changes: Rapid and unexplained changes in mood, such as sudden sadness or anger.
