Dementia is a group of symptoms characterized by a decline in intellectual functioning severe enough to interfere with a person's normal daily activities and social relationships. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in older persons.

A dementia evaluation is something you should discuss in-depth with your medical provider. Should you be selected for a particular clinical trial, a dementia evaluation may be included during the study.

The world's population is ageing. Currently there are an estimated 24 million people worldwide with dementia. Two thirds of them live in developing countries. This figure is set to increase to more than 81 million people by 2040. Much of this increase will be in rapidly developing and heavily populated regions such as China, India and Latin America. Dementia primarily affects older people. Up to the age of 65, dementia develops in only about 1 person in 1000.

Confusion is one of the symptoms of dementia. A person with dementia will most certainly be confused at times, but not necessarily all of the time. On the other hand, a person who is confused does not necessarily have dementia. Difficulty with communicating clearly and memory loss are often indications of dementia, but it is not appropriate to assume that someone who is confused or forgetful has dementia. There are a number of reasons why older people in particular may appear to be confused.

The probability of suffering from dementia increases with advancing age and as people live longer, dementia is becoming more common. Dementia predominantly occurs in the second half of people's life, often after the age of 65. Some experts think that this is the 'price society has to pay' for a higher life expectancy. Therefore the term 'dementia' leads to similar fears and repression mechanisms as 'cancer' or 'AIDS'. The frequency of dementia increases with age i.e.

Dementia is a progressive condition that cannot be cured. A number of treatments are available to slow down its progress and there are medicines available that are prescribed for improving brain function. Treatment together with the level of care and certain physical, mental and emotional and mental stimuli can result in some temporary improvements in some patients. Your doctor or professional caregiver will be able to give you further information and advice.