Aging And Dementia

Dementia has been linked to aging because of the symptoms. However, dementia is different from normal aging.

Dementia is a condition where there is the regression in the mental ability of one person. This usually occurs in any stage of adulthood, which first made it linked to aging. The following are some symptoms with brief explanations to emphasize the difference between aging and dementia syndromes.


Memory fluctuations or loss. At first, people with dementia complaining of not remembering a few things is really similar to someone getting old. Later, it will be noticed that people with dementia will even forget names and faces of people they know, even those they interact with on a daily basis.

1. People with dementia will eventually forget how to do certain activities, including those that they regularly do.
2. While misplacing things is somewhat common, people with dementia become very unaware that they might put their shoe in the fridge.
3. Time and place incomprehension. While with normal aging, people sometimes becomes unsure of the date. They sometimes forget the places they are familiar with, but when given a little time, they will eventually remember it. People with dementia literally get lost in places they have known for a long time.
4. Changes in personality. They have a tendency to become a “different” person. While everyone has the possibility to change, people with dementia will show the drastic change of self.
5. Mood swings. Everybody becomes moody sometimes. But with people suffering from this condition, their mood swings happen within minutes.
6. Problems with other mental abilities. They may become very hard to understand since they might use wrong words unknowingly. They might jumble words in their search for the right terms.

While numbers are sometimes so confusing, people with dementia may even forget what numbers are. They might even wonder what they are for.

Aging and dementia may have similarities with the symptoms. However, the severity of the condition defines the differences. As soon as these symptoms are noticed, it is best to consult a professional.