Signs of Forgetfulness
Today 4.5 million Americans have dementia, and the number is expected to reach over 7 million by 2025. Dementia, or forgetfulness, is a disease many people fear to fall victim to as they grow older. There are a number of signs to watch for if one is developing dementia.
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Diseases
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Forgetfulness is linked to one of two diseases. Although the condition starts as dementia, over the years it develops into Alzheimer's Disease or Multi-Infarct Dementia. These two harmful diseases have no cure. There are medications that lessen the symptoms.
Confusion
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One of the first signs of dementia is confusion. A person who is confused about simple tasks can have dementia. A person with dementia is often disoriented about location and time and is unable to follow even the simplest directions. If someone gets lost in places that they have been in many times or continues to repeat the same question over and over, they have dementia.
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Neglect
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A person with dementia forgets things very easily. Many times forgetfulness leads to neglect. A person will neglect to care for her hygiene, personal safety and nutrition. Someone who has dementia will forget to eat, shower, turn off the stove, etc.... If the person has a pet, that animal may become neglected as well. The house may be messy because the dementia patient forgets to clean.
Memory Lapses
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When you have memory lapses, that does not necessarily mean that you have dementia. Many factors in everyday life can cause a person to become overwhelmed and forget things. It is important to discuss the problem with your doctor if you have frequent memory lapses.
Causes
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Some causes of dementia can be cured. Dementia can be caused by such things as a fever, dehydration, vitamin deficiency, poor nutrition, head injuries, emotional trauma or malnutrition. A doctor can treat these symptoms, but if dementia is from Alzheimer's disease, it cannot be cured, only treated.
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