Old age dementia generally involves diminished mental capacity to perform daily tasks that involve memory, physical coordination and executive functioning. It is often gradual rather than immediate. The Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center at Northwestern University states that in old age, the most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's. Some of the most common symptoms to look for in old age dementia are memory loss, cognitive and communication difficulties, and emotional and behavioral disturbances.
Memory Loss
One of the most common signs associated with old age is a failing memory. Short-term and long-term memory loss are even more pronounced with someone who has dementia. The memory loss may involve forgetting names, birthdays, forgetting to take medications and even getting lost in otherwise familiar territory. The Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center states that one of the early signs in dementia-related memory loss involves a loss of job skills due to forgetting important work assignments and essential tasks. Someone with dementia may also postpone paying bills or forget about them altogether, and the loss of basic math skills can often result in financial difficulties.
Cognitve and Communication Difficulties
Old age dementia can include difficulties with speech, non-verbal communication and writing abilities. Patients may be at a loss for words or not understand what a conversation is about. As dementia affects parts of the brain that involve memory, language and vocabulary, use of familiar words may diminish. Dr. Karen Santacruz and associates at the University of Kansas Medical Center state that simple sentence structure and basic writing skills may also diminish with dementia. Someone with dementia may also become more hesitant to speak at all due to the difficulty experienced when trying to communicate.
Emotional and Behavioral Disturbances
Old age dementia is also associated with changes in personality and emotional disturbances. Patients may experience extreme emotional states, including depression, anger, crying and paranoia. Because of the possible memory loss and cognitive difficulties associated with dementia, patients may not recognize their own family members or may become overly suspicious of family and friends. In the January 2009 issue of the "Journal of Indian Psychiatry," Dr. Roy George and associates state that the most common emotional disturbance experienced by dementia sufferers is the development of paranoid and delusional beliefs, such as the belief that people are stealing from them. In related research, Dr. Carl Salzman and associates state in the June 2008 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry" that the agitation and aggressive behavior associated with dementia is so persistent and common, that treatment with medication is almost always suggested.
References
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center: What is Dementia?
- Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center: Symptoms
- American Association of Family Physicians: Early Diagnosis of Dementia
- "Indian Journal of Psychiatry": Behavioral Symptoms and Caregiver Burden in Dementia
- "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry": Elderly Patients With Dementia-Related Symptoms of Severe Agitation and Aggression: Consensus Statement on Treatment Options, Clinical Trials Methodology, and Policy
