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Dementia is not a normal part of aging

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Dementia is a loss of mental function that is severe enough to affect your daily life and activities, these can include:

  • Memory loss, usually noticed by someone else
  • Language skills, difficulty finding words and communicating
  • Visual perception (the ability to make sense of what we see)
  • Problem solving
  • Trouble with everyday tasks
  • The ability to focus and pay attention

It is normal to become a bit more forgetful as we age. But dementia is not a normal part of aging. It is a serious disorder which interferes with daily life.

The most common types of dementia are known as neurodegenerative disorders and include Alzheimer’s Disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia and more. These are diseases in which the cells of the brain stop working or die.

The symptoms of dementia can vary, depending on which parts of the brain are affected. Often, forgetfulness is the first symptom, but forgetting how to use your phone or find your way home may be signs of a more serious problem. Dementia also causes problems with the ability to think, problem solve, and reason. Having memory loss does not mean you have dementia but being an early sign, it is recommended to get checked.

Learn More: Dementia [Internet]. Mayo Clinic. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352013