Aging & Dementia
Dementia and neurodegenerative diseases are the loss of cognitive functioning—the ability to think, remember or reason—to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life and activities. These functions include memory, language skills, visual perception, problem solving, self-management and the ability to focus and pay attention. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions, and their personalities may change. Several diseases and conditions can cause dementia or dementia-like symptoms, but dementia itself is not a specific disease.
Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person's functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living.
A diagnosis of dementia can be confusing and frightening for those affected by the syndrome, their family members and caretakers. Learning more about the diagnosis can help you navigate treatment and care, keeping in mind that depending on the cause, some symptoms may be reversible. Please explore the various types of dementia found on the menu to the left to learn more about the different forms of neurodegenerative diseases and age-related dementia, and how these disorders are diagnosed and treated.