Dementia

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is not part of natural ageing. It is important to distinguish between getting older and having dementia.

Dementia is like when a person’s brain starts to have trouble with its memory and thinking skills, kind of like when a computer starts to run slowly or has problems running programs. This happens because parts of the brain get damaged or don’t work well anymore. People with dementia might forget things a lot, have trouble speaking or understanding what others are saying, get confused about time or places, and find it hard to do everyday tasks.

Dementia can be caused by different diseases, with Alzheimer’s disease being one of the most common reasons. It mostly happens to older people, but it’s not a normal part of aging.

Signs and symptoms linked to dementia

Increasing difficulty with tasks and activities that require concentration and planning
Changes in mood or behaviour that’s out of character
Periods of mental confusion
Difficulty finding the right words
Forgeting important dates
Relying on family members for things they were able to handle on their own
Trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills

General signs of getting older

Dementia is not part of natural ageing. It is important to distinguish between getting older and having a dementia.

General signs and symptoms of ageing

You forget names or appointments sometimes, but remember later.
You make errors with money sometimes.
You need help sometimes to set a microwave or record a television show.
You feel despondent sometimes or don’t like changing a long-term routine.
You aren’t sure what day it is but work it out later
Your eyesight changes and you become long sighted or develop cataracts.
You cannot remember the exact word sometimes.
You lose things but can find them later.
You make a bad decision occasionally.
You’re reluctant to go out socially but are still socially active.