With age sometimes come memory changes and slowing of information processing. When there is a gradual decline of mental ability that is progressive and becomes disabling, this may be a condition known as senile dementia.
As dementia advances, symptoms arise, including impairment of memory and judgment, and disorientation. A person's intellectual and social skills may be negatively impacted as well.
The main causes of dementia are aging and Alzheimer's disease. Younger people can experience dementia, too, caused by brain injury, side effects of certain medications, or from stroke damage (vascular dementia).
There are other conditions of which dementia is a symptom or complication. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is a recently-emerged condition that may be caused by eating meat products infected with mad cow disease. Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder in which there is a mutation in a gene that affects brain function.
Caring for someone with dementia can be challenging, and it requires patience and compassion. Some helpful tips for caring for someone with dementia include creating structure, stability, and reminder systems that can all help the person to continue living as independently as possible.