Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of brain disorders that cause a decline in memory, thinking, and other cognitive abilities, significantly impacting daily life.

Five things you need to know about dementia are

Ø  Dementia is not a natural part of the aging process

Ø  Dementia is caused by disease of the brain

Ø  It is not just about losing your memory

Ø  It is possible to live well with it

Ø  There is more to the person than Dementia

Many diseases can cause dementia, Some of the more common ones are

•       Alzheimer’s disease

•       Vascular dementia

•       Mixed dementia

•       Dementia with Lewy bodies

•       Frontotemporal dementia (including Pick’s disease)

A person with dementia will have cognitive symptoms (to do with thinking or memory) They will often have  problems with some of the following:

• Day to day memory – Recalling the event of the day
• Concentrating, Planning or organising – Difficulty making decisions or solving problems
• Language – difficulties following a conversation or finding the right word for something.
• Visuospatial skills – problems judging distances (such as on stairs) and seeing objects in three dimensions
• Orientation – losing track of the day or date, confused about where they are