Dementia – What It Is And What To Do About It?

Dementia is a syndrome where a person experiences a decline in cognitive and personal functioning that cannot be explained by normal ageing.

Dementia is not a disease in itself but a collection of symptoms that signal that there is an underlying disease that is causing the changes affecting the person’s overall functioning.

With mental illness being clouded in stigma and a lack of acceptance, awareness about dementia is also lacking. It is a disease that is very often confused with normal aging.

This leads to regular delays in its diagnosis and management. While it doesn’t have a cure yet, there are medication and techniques for the management of dementia.

Awareness of Dementia has increased over the years but despite of that, it’s diagnosis and management is still delayed in the majority of cases.

Dementia – Quick Facts

• Dementia is degenerative, i.e., it worsens over time.
• The risk for developing dementia increases with age.
• Dementia is not a normal part of ageing and requires separate care, attention and management.
• Dementia cannot be reversed or cured.
• Early Diagnosis can help in planning and management.
• It can be managed with a combination of medication and psychosocial interventions.
• Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia are examples of diseases that lead to Dementia.
• Alzheimer’s contributes to 60 to 70% of the cases of dementia.

Types of Dementia and their Causes

1. Alzheimer’s Disease

In Alzheimer’s, the protein amyloid causes plaque like deposits around brain cells while protein tau causes deposits that form tangles in the brain cells.

2. Vascular Dementia

Vascular Dementia is caused by vascular events in the brain. Stokes which may or may not even be noticed can lead to Vascular Dementia.

Changes in blood vessels causing them to become damaged or narrow can also lead to Vascular Dementia.

3. Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy Body dementia is caused due to the formation of “Lewy bodies” in the brain.

Lewy bodies are abnormal deposits of the protein alpha-synuclein in the brain. Alpha-synuclein is also seen in Parkinson’s Disease.

4. Frontotemporal Dementia

In Frontotemporal Dementia, the frontal and temporal areas of the brain start to shrink. Some deposits have also been noted, but further research is needed to know more.

5. Other Types of Dementia

Creutzfeld Jacobs Disease, Huntington’s Disease and HIV associated dementia are some of the more rare presentations of dementia. Dementia can sometimes also be caused by Traumatic Brain Injury.

About 50 to 80% of people will Parkinson’s also eventually develop dementia. This is known as Parkinson’s Disease Dementia.

Signs and Symptoms of Dementia

Dementia symptoms can vary from person to person and are also dependant on the type of dementia in question.

Proper and thorough testing is required to diagnose the type of dementia and subsequently come up with a management plan.

General Early Signs of Dementia

1. They may have difficulty or confusion while recalling recent events or situations such as doctor’s appointment, where they kept their keys, or what they had for breakfast.
2. They may struggle while talking, or talk less than before. They may actually be having trouble finding the rights words and explaining themselves.
3. They may be visible changes in their mood and personality. They may become more isolated, low and/or irritable.
4. They may find it harder to carry on their usual daily tasks, especially more mentally draining tasks like managing finances and even games with rules.
5. They may not be able to efficiently make decision or plan for the recent or far future.

While symptoms can vary from person to person, we can look out for any noticeable change in the cognitive functioning of our family member.

Early detection of these symptoms can allow a person with dementia and their family, to better plan the management of symptoms.

Dementia Care at Aurum Living

At Aurum Living, we believe that dementia doesn’t define a person—it’s simply a chapter in a life rich with stories, achievements, and relationships worth preserving.

Our specialized dementia care focuses on what remains: the warmth of a familiar melody, the comfort of a loved one’s voice, the joy found in a cup of perfectly spiced chai.

Our trained caregivers create structured routines that reduce anxiety while offering meaningful engagement—from devotional music sessions to sensory therapy.

We’ve seen residents who rarely speak light up during bhajans they learned decades ago.

Conclusion

In early stages, the person may also be able to get the opportunity to take part in treatment and management themselves and also make decisions about how they want their family to manage their dementia at later stages.

With increasing awareness and knowledge about Dementia, we hope that more and more persons and family get early support with this progressively degenerative disease.