Dementia in Older Adults: Symptoms and Causes
We all remember Noah and Allie’s love story, right? Doesn’t ring a bell? Well, the classic romance of Nicholas Sparks’s The Notebook. The movie hit the screen in 2004 and follows the love story of Noah and Allie. Their life is shown through a series of flashbacks, and it is revealed at the end that present-day Noah was reading Allie their love story at a residential care facility. Allie doesn’t remember anything from their past life. Allie has Dementia.
Dementia has always been a popular theme for pop cultures and works of literature. But how much do we know about Dementia? Well, read this article to get insights that no book or movie would ever give you about Dementia in older adults: Symptoms and Causes
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a collective term used to describe the impairment of cognitive functions. Although it is common among older adults, it is not a common part of ageing. It is also a symptom of various underlying diseases and brain disorders. Let's talk about Dementia in Older Adults: Symptoms and Causes
Dementia affects your thinking abilities, learning capacity, memory, comprehension, and calculation. It affects your behavior, relationships, and feelings. However, consciousness remains unaffected.
Symptoms of Dementia
The symptoms of Dementia are usually noticed by caregivers or family members. The signs start out slowly, but they get worse with time. Following are the signs one should watch out for-
- Short Term Memory Loss- You start forgetting things you saw, did, or heard recently. You might go to someone’s place or the departmental store and forget why you went there in the first place. Experts suggest that losing debit card pins, or your wallet, or paying bills on time are some of the signs you should look out for. These signs are subtle yet powerful in telling if a person has dementia.
- Communication Problem- This is another very common sign. A person with dementia may struggle to remember common words used in daily life. He may use the wrong word and don’t even notice. Having a conversation with a person with dementia takes longer and can be difficult. You will fail to grasp what they are trying to say. People with dementia find it difficult to express themselves, which can be frustrating.
- Mood Changes- Not feeling up to doing anything, feeling low and confused are some of the common signs to look out for in one’s mood. Depression is one of the common symptoms of mood changes. They may also experience mood swings, for instance, they may become anxious, irritated, restless, or confused.
- Personality Changes- Since dementia affects judgment, one may notice a shift in personality. A person who has always been hospitable and warm may suddenly become suspicious, or shy. Dementia patients often find it difficult to keep themselves clean and things organized. They start feeling insecure.
- Being Repetitive- As people become forgetful they start repeating daily tasks, or pieces of information. You may find the patient going to the grocery store minutes after returning from grocery shopping, or saying the same things over and over again.
- Getting Lost in Familiar Places- For someone in the early stage of dementia, they may get lost around the neighbourhood they have lived in all their life. They may also start misplacing things. This is why patients should always be under supervision.
- Difficulty in doing Daily Tasks- The difficulty in carrying out familiar tasks can occur at home or at the office. Dementia will cause you to forget the basic activities like making a cup of tea, or shaving, or braiding your hair.
Causes of Dementia
Dementia is caused by damage in nerve cells that are connected with the brain. Progressive brain cell death leads to dementia. Depending on the area of the brain affected Dementia affects people differently, and causes different symptoms. Injury to the brain or brain tumour can also cause Dementia.
Popular Causes of Dementia are-
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Parkinson's Disease
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Brain Stroke
- Vascular Cognitive Impairment
- Frontal Temporal Dementia
However, there are different symptoms that can indicate underlying diseases that can be cured with treatment. Forgetfulness doesn't always mean dementia. But you should carefully look out for the early symptoms in older members of your family. Don't ignore the symptoms. Consult a doctor for they can give you the best advice.
Taking care of a patient with dementia can be overwhelming. Dementia affects a person's thoughts, feelings, and actions. It's best to seek professional help for Dementia in Older Adults: Symptoms and Causes.
UTrust Care is a Canada based caregivers’ agency. We have trained professional caregivers for taking care of patients with Dementia. Our caregivers know to focus on the positive and always try to be supportive. Our clients are happy and satisfied with our service, and what is more comforting is the patients enjoy the company of our caregivers. We try to make them feel that they have not deviated from their normal life. If you know someone who is in dire need of our help, or if you're the someone, book an appointment with us to get a firsthand experience of our professional services. Visit utrustcare.ca to know more in detail.