Dementia is a general term used to describe a variety of neurological disorders which are progressive, ie, a condition that affects the brain that worsens over time. There are hundreds of subtypes of dementia, but one of the most common is Alzheimer’s disease.
What causes dementia?
The brain is built up on nerve cells (neurons) communicating with messages being sent to and from each other. These cells are damaged by dementia so that the messages cannot be sent effectively, which prevents proper body functions taking place. It doesn’t matter which type of dementia occurs, or the area of brain affected, every affected individual will experience dementia in their own unique way. For details on Care Homes Solihull, visit https://sandersseniorliving.co.uk/the-collection/claridge-place-care-home-solihull/
Dementia is a global problem but is most often seen in rich countries, where people tend to live to a very old age. It has been reported that there are over 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. Over 40,000 of these will be suffering with early onset dementia, that predominantly affects those aged under 65. The older someone gets, the risk of dementia increases. It has been estimated that over 1 million people in the UK will have some form of dementia by 2021.
Alzheimer’s disease this is the most well-known and common type of dementia in the UK. It is a physical condition that is caused by changes in brain structure. This is due to the buildup of a protein, or ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ which impair the ability of brain cells to transmit messages and eventually led to the death of brain cells. Alzheimer’s symptom often grows slowly over time have an impact on the ability to focus, memory, language, reading, writing, organization and sense of direction.