Dementia describes a collection of symptoms that can include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving, or language. These changes may start small but can become severe enough to affect daily life, and there may also be changes in mood or behaviour.
What Causes Dementia?
Dementia results from damage to the brain caused by diseases or injury, for example Alzheimer’s disease or a series of strokes. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause, but not the only one.
Everyone’s Experience Is Unique
Each person will experience dementia in their own way. The specific symptoms depend on the parts of the brain that are damaged and the underlying disease causing the dementia.
Early Stages and Day-to-Day Life
In the early stages, different types of dementia can affect people differently. For some, memory changes might be most noticeable; for others, planning, language, or reasoning may be more affected.
The environment, and how other people respond, also influences how well someone can live with dementia.
Recognising Changes
Symptoms may begin subtly—misplacing items, finding words harder to retrieve, or struggling with familiar tasks—and become more pronounced over time. Changes in mood or behaviour can appear alongside cognitive symptoms.
Understanding these changes helps family, friends, and carers tailor support as needs evolve.
