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June 27, 2025
Dementia, commonly Alzheimer’s disease, can come to anyone at any time. Globally, over 55 million people are currently living with dementia, and about 6.7 million people in the United States are reported to have dementia. Now, what are the misunderstandings behind dementia, “so-called Alzheimer’s disease,” and how is it affecting so many people, especially during the later period of their lives?
According to the Mayo Clinic, dementia is a group of symptoms that affects the memory and thinking, along with social abilities such as performing simple daily tasks to having a conversation with people. Dementia’s symptoms mostly interfere with a person’s daily life and will require them to have a close advisor to assist them throughout the day. Dementia is not just one specific disease; it is caused by several other diseases.
One of the most significant symptoms widely known for dementia is memory loss. It is one of the earliest symptoms and the one that affects their daily life most significantly. However, as many people might misunderstand, having memory loss alone does not imply that you have dementia, and dementia does not just mean a disease with a symptom of memory loss. As is known to many people, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common causes of dementia, especially in older adults. However, the symptoms are dependent on the causes, so depending on what caused the patient’s dementia, their symptoms will vary.
The common symptoms shown in dementia patients are mainly divided into two categories according to the Mayo Clinic: cognitive changes and psychological changes. Cognitive changes include memory loss, problems communicating or finding words, trouble with visual abilities such as difficulty in driving, challenges in problem solving, trouble planning and organizing things, poor coordination within the body along with poor control of movements, and confusion. Psychological changes include personality changes, depression, anxiety, agitation, behaviors that don’t neccesarily fit the situation, being paranoid, and seeing things that are not there, also known as hallucinations.
Although dementia caused by several diseases can be inevitable depending on the family history and the disease one has there are some things that might help. Keep your mind active at all times to decrease the dementia through mentally stimulating activities, be physically and socially active to delay the onset of dementia, quit smoking as studies have shown the correlation between dementia and smoking, and consume enough vitamins. Also, maintain healthy daily-life patterns such as a healthy diet and good quality sleep as they can decrease the symptoms of dementia.
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