What is dementia?

Dementia is the term used to describe the symptoms of a large group of conditions that
result in a progressive decline in cognition. These include decline in memory, reasoning,
communication skills and the capacity to carry out activities of daily living. At some stage of
the illness individuals are likely to develop behavioural and psychological symptoms, such as
depression, psychosis, deteriation of emotional, social control and wandering. These conditions may complicate care for the individual and any other co-morbidities they may have.

The causes of dementia are not well understood, but research over the last 25 years has
provided a much better understanding of the changes in the brain as dementia progresses.
The main types of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, or a mixture of the
two pathologies. Increased risk of dementia is associated with vascular disease, Parkinson’s
disease, Huntington’s disease, obesity, diabetes, alcohol and drug abuse and intellectual
disabilities such as Down Syndrome.

Dementia does not discriminate. It can affect anyone in society irrespective of age, gender,
education, ethnicity and class. National action should be designed to address the needs of all
people with dementia at any age.

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