Living with Dementia: Challenges and Coping Strategies

Dementia is an umbrella term for several diseases affecting memory, other cognitive abilities and behaviour that interfere significantly with a person’s ability to maintain their activities of daily living. Although age is the strongest known risk factor for dementia, it is not a normal part of ageing. The illness gets worse over time. It mainly affects older people but not all people will get it as they age.

Risk Factors

Age (more common in those 65 or older)
High blood pressure (hypertension)
High blood sugar (diabetes)
Being overweight or obese
Smoking
Drinking too much alcohol
Being physically inactive
Being socially isolated
Depression.

Causes, Effects, and Societal Challenges

Dementia is a syndrome that can be caused by a number of diseases which over time destroy nerve cells and damage the brain, typically leading to deterioration in cognitive function (i.e. the ability to process thought) beyond what might be expected from the usual consequences of biological ageing. Impairment in cognitive function is sometimes preceded by changes in mood, emotional control…