Dementia Essay

Dementia is a cognitive disorder which causes a loss of brain functions which mainly affect memory .

Dementia is a loss of brain function. If affects memory, thinking, language, judgement and behaviour. Dementia is progressive, so the symptoms will gradually get worse. In a later stage of dementia people will find it hard to carry out daily tasks and will come dependant on other people.

There are several causes of dementia some of them are; a stroke, brain disease, MS, certain medications, shrinkage of the brain, too many opiates over a long period of time and severe alcoholism

People who have dementia are not aware of requirements for living. They can forget to do the essential things that are vital. Taking medicines, hygiene and even eating are often forgotten. They can get lost or hurt and not understand what is necessary to correct a situation. Turning on the cooker or water and forgetting to turn it off again, locking doors, crossing streets etc can all be dangerous even deadly. In the same way as you would not think an infant capable of self care, a person with dementia cannot be either. Considering the facts that they cannot act in the manner of a

Dementia is a term used to describe a collection of signs and symptoms that happen to the brain when it is affected by the progression of certain diseases such as vascular dementia (when brain cells die due to lack of oxygen) and Alzheimer’s disease (a specific brain disease). Some of the affects these diseases have are on a person’s memory, language and communication abilities, behaviour and ability to make rational judgements.

Dementia is brain atrophy. It’s a degenerative disease, which is progressive, and for the time being, incurable condition.

Dementia is a broad term used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions.Dementia is a progressive disease and the symptoms will get gradually worse.

Dementia affects the brain by stopping communication between the nerve cells causing them to die which will have an impact in the way the brain works.

Dementia is a term used to describe the symptoms of a number of illnesses which effect the function of the brain. It is an umbrella term describing the progressive decline in a person’s cognitive ability. The type and severity of symptoms varies with each type of dementia and is usually has a gradual onset, is progressive and irreversible. (1)

Dementia is caused when the brain is damaged by diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body disease, a series of strokes or even a group of symptoms which may result from brain injury, vitamin/hormonal imbalance, drugs and alcohol. These diseases have factors in common and can cause a person to have their mental

4. Vascular Dementia – This form of dementia results from many strokes. When a patient has a stroke, the blood flow is interrupted to the brain and the result is brain tissue damage (Types of Dementia, 2011). These patients normally lose their cognitive ability before their memory.

The diagnosis for Alzheimer’s is far from simple. Alzheimer’s begins when a patient reaches the final step of Dementia. There are many disorders that can impact the cause of Alzheimer’s. Neurological disorders include strokes, blood clots, and brain tumors that can be related to dementia. Psychiatric disorders also affect the way Alzheimer’s develops. Elderly people with forms of depression may show even earlier signs of Alzheimer’s such as impaired thinking. Lastly, Trauma can be a factor in Alzheimer patients. Head injuries can cause blood clots in and around the brain (Medicine).

They can forget to do the essential things that are vital. Taking medicines, hygiene and even eating are often forgotten. They can get lost or hurt and do not understand what is necessary to correct a situation. Turning on the cooker or water and forgetting to turn it off, locking doors, crossing streets etc. can be dangerous even deadly. In the same way you would not think as an infant incapable of self care a person with dementia cannot be either. Considering the facts that they cannot act in the manner of a responsible adult makes them disabled.

Dementia is not considered a specific disease because it is such a broad disease there are many different types.

There are many disease processes that culminate in the onset of dementia; the most common of which is Alzheimer’s disease. The syndrome is frequently associated with a progressive decline in brain function and the associated physical and mental abilities, including memory, language and cognitive function.