Dementia is known to describe a group of symptoms that affect the thinking capacity, memory and even the social abilities in a severe manner. This condition can significantly hamper the daily life of people. While it is not a specific disease, but a number of diseases may lead to causing dementia. In the opinion of Dr. John Denboer, that even though dementia involves memory loss in many cases, the condition of memory loss may have a number of other causes as well. Hence, it is important to note that having a memory loss alone does not mean that someone is suffering from dementia. Dr. Denboer is the founder and Chief Medical Officer of an organization that is renowned for offering cognitive intervention exercises to the aged with the aim of preventing dementia or intervening in the early stages of the condition.

The disorders that are grouped under the condition of dementia are typically caused due to abnormal brain changes. Dr. John Denboer mentions that such disorders often trigger a decline in the cognitive abilities or thinking skills of people in a severe manner, and often enough that their capacity to function independently gets hampered. To prevent such an eventuality, the organization founded by Dr. Denboer offers cognitive intervention exercises to aging individuals, who basically are the ones having the highest risks of developing dementia. Dementia is quite a serious condition that can affect the relationships, feelings, and behavior of people to a great extent. Alzheimer’s disease is known to account for quite a high percentage of dementia diseases. The second most common cause of this condition is vascular dementia, which takes place due to blood vessel blockage and microscopic bleeding in the brain. There are several other conditions that may result in causing the symptoms of dementia, such as vitamin deficiencies and thyroid issues.

While symptoms of dementia can vary significantly, as per Dr. John Denboer some of the common examples include forgetting to

• Keep a track of a purse or wallet
• Pay bills
• Plan and preparing meals
• Remember appointments

Some of the major cognitive changes observed among people suffering from dementia are:

• Memory loss
• Difficulty communicating or finding words
• Difficulty with planning and organizing
• Difficulty with coordination and motor functions
• Confusion and disorientation
• Difficulty with visual and spatial abilities, like getting lost while driving
• Difficulty in reasoning or problem-solving
• Difficulty with handling complex tasks

According to Dr. John Denboer, personality changes, depression, anxiety, inappropriate behavior, paranoia, agitation, and hallucinations might also be symptoms of dementia. He further underlines that dementia might be caused by damage to or loss of nerve cells, as well as their connections in the brain. Based on the area of the brain that has been affected by the damage, dementia may impact diverse people in a distinct fashion, and result in varied symptoms. It is crucial that people take their loved one to a doctor in case they are suffering from any symptom that might be an indication of dementia.