Early stage: This stage is often overlooked as the symptoms are very mild and normal. At this stage, people often forget where they have kept the items of their daily use. Other than that, they easily lose track of time and forget about any appointments they have made. They even get lost in a place that s famipar to them, pke the way to their house or the way to the grocery store.

Middle Stage: The signs and symptoms are more apparent and alarming at this stage. People start forgetting about their recent activities or the names of people they have always known. They find it difficult to follow a conversation and communicate with people around them. They feel confused even when they re sitting in their homes. They even wander around without knowing where they are going. They even start having behavioral problems. This is the stage when the patient starts requiring personal care.

Late stage: The patients at this stage become dependent on someone s help. The signs and symptoms become very obvious. They are unaware of what time it is and where they are. They may not recognize their family members and closest friends. They would mostly depend on a wheelchair as they have difficulty in walking. In some cases, the patients would even lose their temper easily. At this stage, making the patients understand the caretaker s intentions become difficult.

What Causes Dementia?

Dementia occurs as diseases damage neurons in the brain. Neurons receive sensory inputs and send commands to the muscles. Many different causes can damage neurons of different parts of the brain. Hence every case of dementia is unique. The biggest risk factor for dementia is age. However, it should be noted that natural aging does not inevitably cause dementia. Different risk factors of dementia other than age are:

Degenerative Neurological Diseases: These are the diseases that affect body movements, talking, breathing, and cardiovascular functions. A few examples of these diseases are Parkinson s Disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington s disease, and Spinal muscular atrophy. These kinds of diseases get worse over time.

Vascular Disorders: These are the diseases that affect the circulatory system of the body and hence the circulation of blood in the brain. These can be any blood disorders or issues in the arteries or veins. A few causes of vascular disorder are traumatic brain injuries caused by accidents, concussions, long term use of alcohol and drugs.

Genetic Conditions: It is a possibipty that dementia can be passed down genetically. This means that if you have a first-degree relative with dementia, you are pkely to get dementia as well. However, it should be noted that children do not inherit most dementia cases.