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Read articleDementia is a progressive loss of memory, reasoning and everyday function that goes beyond normal ageing. Some causes are reversible, which is why an elderly person becoming forgetful deserves assessment rather than acceptance.
Symptoms
Not everyone gets every symptom, and the pattern can differ in older people, in people with diabetes and in children. These are the ones most often reported.
- Forgetting recent conversations and events while remembering the distant past
- Repeating the same question many times
- Difficulty handling money, medicines or familiar routes
- Losing track of the day, date or place
- Word-finding difficulty and loss of the thread in conversation
- Change in personality — suspicion, irritability, withdrawal or apathy
- Neglect of hygiene, dressing and eating
When to see a doctor
Do not wait these out
If any of the following applies, arrange to be seen the same day. For anything sudden or severe, call 9281862028 or come straight to the emergency department at SIMS — it is open 24 hours and does not need an appointment.
- Memory loss that is interfering with daily activities or finances
- Sudden confusion developing over hours or days — this suggests infection, dehydration or stroke and needs urgent care
- Wandering, aggression or hallucinations
- Any memory change accompanied by weakness, unsteadiness or urinary incontinence
Tests that may be advised
Your consultant will order only the investigations that change the plan. Most of the following are available on the SIMS campus, so results usually come back the same visit.
- Cognitive assessment and a detailed history from a family member
- CT or MRI of the brain
- Vitamin B12, thyroid function and haemoglobin
- Kidney function, electrolytes, blood sugar and calcium
- Screening for depression, which can closely mimic dementia in older adults
How it is treated
Treatment is decided case by case — by how advanced the problem is, what else you are being treated for, and what you can realistically sustain. Broadly, it involves the following.
- Correction of reversible contributors — B12 deficiency, thyroid disease, depression, medication side effects
- Medication that may slow decline in some forms of dementia
- Structured daily routine, familiar surroundings and orientation aids
- Safety measures for gas, stairs, medicines, water and wandering
- Support and counselling for the family carer, who carries most of the load
This page is general information, not a diagnosis
Dementia can look like several other conditions, and the reverse is equally true. Nothing here can replace an examination, your test results and the judgement of the doctor treating you — and no medicine mentioned by name to a friend or relative should be started on the strength of this page. If you recognise yourself in it, book a consultation with the Neurology department. If a symptom is sudden or severe, call 9281862028.
