Dementia is a health and wellness concern for families around the world. It can cause stress, feeling of discomfort, and monetary strain for dementia patients, family members, and caregivers alike.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 47 million people are living with dementia. This number is expected to rise to 75 million by 2030. In fact, there is a new diagnosis of dementia every three seconds!
But what is dementia? What are the common dementia symptoms? What causes dementia? These are all common questions we all ask at some point in our lives. Let’s get a better understanding of this mentally debilitating disease together.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a group of symptoms that includes trouble with language, solving problems, thinking, and memory loss. The symptoms begin small, almost undetectable. However, they can grow and impact daily life and behavior negatively. People that are living with dementia can have issues with mood and completing their daily routines. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease.
What are Dementia Symptoms?
Dementia symptoms are unique to the person experiencing them. One person may begin having trouble finding the right words to describe something. Another may get lost on their way to work. Dementia symptoms simply depend on the person. Cognitive issues are the most common dementia symptoms, like memory loss or trouble thinking. The most important gauge of these symptoms is to think about what is normal and what is not for that person.
A few common symptoms include . . .
- Language: Unable to find the right words or trouble following and understanding a conversation.
- Daily Memory Loss: Unable to recall things, people, and places. For example, not being able to describe what they did the day before.
- Planning and Organizing: Unable to make decisions or plan a simple daily event like cooking dinner or going to work. Someone with dementia may also become unorganized.
- Orientation: Getting lost is a common dementia symptom. This cause wandering and indicates a serious stage in the disease.
Change in mood is also a dementia symptom to be on the look out for. If a loved one is increasingly irritable and acting oddly for that person’s personality, it is time to discuss dementia with a doctor.
The symptoms of this mentally debilitating disease will increase gradually over time. The most frustrating part is that each person’s symptoms will progress at different rates. Muscle weakness and weight loss are key symptoms of someone in the later stages of the disease.
What Causes Dementia?
Dementia causes vary and many diseases can contribute to dementia and the associated symptoms. The following are a few causes and different types of the disease you need to know.
The symptoms for each of the different types of the disease can be different in early stages. However, the more common symptoms will present in the later stages. What’s important is to make your loved one with dementia comfortable and try to establish routines they can follow.
One symptom of dementia that can be very dangerous for your loved one is wandering. Wandering can happen for a number of reasons, but having a plan in place to prevent or bring your loved one home safe is essential.
The Caregiver Watch and app is a smartwatch solution that allows you to track your loved one via GPS and 3G/4G wireless connectivity. You can send them messages, schedule medication and daily events, and most important of all, find them if your loved one or patient with dementia of Alzheimer’s wander.
Keep your loved ones or patients close and stay together regardless of health and wellness issues. Your loved one will have the confidence of knowing they are safe by wearing a subtle and sleek watch while you have peace of mind knowing they are safe 24/7.