Dementia

Dementia is a collective term for the condition of a number of diseases, which are characterized by permanent impairment of mental functions. Dementia is not a specific disease because many different diseases can cause dementia. Approximately 200 different diseases can cause dementia or cognitive disorders. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. About 60% of people with dementia have Alzheimer’s disease.

As already mentioned, dementia is a disease, not a consequence of getting old. It is a myth that dementia is a natural consequence of getting old; however, the risk of dementia increases with age. Only a few diseases that cause dementia can be cured. However, several diseases can be treated to some extent, so it is important to have a diagnosis at an early stage.

Stages of dementia

Although dementia is often progressively slow, there is a tradition of dividing the process into three stages corresponding to three degrees of dementia. The division is purely descriptive, and in practice, it is difficult to distinguish precisely between the three phases.

Mild dementia

The cognitive impairment only causes slight impairment of functional ability in everyday life. Routine-based daily and leisure activities can still be carried out and enable a largely independent existence. Complex tasks such as using public transport or the Internet often cause problems.

Moderate dementia

The cognitive impairment leads to a significant impairment of functional ability. The person can no longer function in everyday life without the help of others and he/she can hardly manage to be alone.

Severe dementia

The cognitive impairment means that the person is completely dependent on the help of others and regular monitoring is required.

The relative distribution of mild, moderate and severe dementia varies with age. In the ‘younger’ age groups, there are relatively many people with mild dementia and in the older age groups a higher proportion of people with severe dementia are seen. The English Alzheimer’s Society has estimated that mild dementia across the age groups amounts to approx. 55% of all dementia cases, moderate dementia account for approx. 32% and severe dementia account for approx. 12-13%. These numbers should be comparable to other western European countries. (”Dementia UK update” Alzheimer’s Society, November 2014)

Common symptoms of dementia

Most people with dementia suffer from memory problems, but other mental skills are also affected.

For example:

• The ability to take initiative and action
• The ability to find words and names
• The ability to find a way (location)
• Numeracy
• Overview and problem solving
• The ability to remember personal names

The person with dementia can change, social skills, emotional life and personality can be affected. This means that it will be harder for the person to overview the social interaction and he/she may find it difficult to get into the situation of others. The person can also lose his situational awareness. All people may find that there is something they cannot remember but if it affects a person’s ability to cope with his everyday lives, there is reason to suspect some kind of dementia.