NPAIHB

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board

2 days ago

opens in a new window

Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning — thinking, remembering, and reasoning — to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life and activities. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions, and their personalities may change. 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 living.

Some early and typical signs and symptoms of dementia include:
• Memory loss that disrupts daily life
• Challenges in planning or solving problems
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure
• Confusion with time or place
• Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relations
• New problems with words in speaking or writing
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
• Decreased or poor judgment
• Withdrawal from work or social activities
• Changes in mood and personality

Generally, there must be two or more of the symptoms present in a person to label them a case of dementia – and they would be severe enough to cause interference with daily lives.

For more information on Dementia, its various types and effects: www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-is-dementia ... See MoreSee Less