Dementia in the Elderly

Dementia mostly occurs in people above 70-80 years of age. However, the condition may strike in the mid sixties, and can even affect younger people. It is characterized by a group of symptoms which reflect alterations in the intellectual and social abilities, which may hamper the normal day-to-day activities of the affected individual.

Symptoms of dementia in the elderly, depend on the underlying cause. However, the common ones include forgetfulness or memory loss (forgetting the names of family, friends, or where they live, etc.), difficulty in learning new things or remembering them, and altered planning and organizing skills.

The affected person is often observed to face difficulty while communicating with others, and tends to exhibit uncoordinated movements, and loss of motor functions.

The condition may also be indicated by symptoms such as abnormal changes in personality traits, inability to reason or rationalize things, and inappropriate behavior. These may be accompanied with paranoia, incontinence, immobility, depression, agitation, and hallucination.

In the elderly, it is difficult to diagnose dementia in the early stages. It is usually detected when the symptoms worsen. For instance, if the sufferer exhibits a complete loss of recognition of his friends and family members, then it is one of the indications of severe dementia.

Several factors and conditions have been associated with dementia. Some of these cause temporary dementia, which can be reversed when the cause is treated.

Such reversible causes include disorders related to the immune system, infections, nutritional deficiencies, poisoning, and brain tumors, as well as certain heart and lung problems. In addition, dementia due to subdural hematoma, abnormalities of the endocrine system, medicinal side effects, metabolic problems, and anoxia is reversible.

The irreversible causes include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, Huntington disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and Pick disease.

Dealing with dementia involves managing the underlying cause through medication and therapy. Commonly recommended prescription drugs include Cholinesterase inhibitors which enhance chemical messengers involved in memory and judgment; Memantine (Namenda) which boosts learning and memory; and other medications for managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, blood clots, anxiety, insomnia, and diabetes.

People suffering from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or any other genetic disorder, cannot be cured completely. In such cases, the friends and family members are advised to take care of, and support the affected individual.

Dementia can be prevented or controlled through simple activities that keep the mind busy and occupied. The more active the mind, the less is the risk of developing dementia. Hence, it is advisable to pursue some hobby, or indulge in brain-stimulating activities such as puzzles, reading, writing, painting etc.

It is essential to be physically and socially active, as well as monitor the cholesterol and glucose levels regularly, and maintain a healthy diet. It has been found that young and elderly people who keep learning new things everyday, have lower incidence of mental decline and brain abnormalities like dementia.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.