It affects at least 300,000 Canadians and causes 10,000 deaths a year. Dementia describes conditions that result in a prog ressive loss of mental function. It is not a normal part of the aging process. Symptoms of dementia include loss of memory, poor judgement and reasoning and changes in mood and behavior. Although work or social activities are significantly impaired, the capacity for independent living remains, with adequate personal hygiene and relatively intact judgement.
Independent living is hazardous, and some degree of supervision is necessary.
Patients and ca regivers often mistake early symptoms for normal aging changes. It is important to note that diagnosing Alzheimer Disease can be very difficult because it affects everyone differently. There is no simple test to diagnose Alzheimer Disease. In fact, the only sure way to know is by examining the brain cells after death. Usually the first signs of Alzheimer Disease are subtle changes in behaviour.