We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Senile Dementia?

By J.M. Densing
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 5,889
Share

Senile dementia is a term that refers to the deterioration and loss of brain functioning in elderly people. The occurrence of dementia in the elderly is usually caused by Alzheimer's disease or brain damage resulting from strokes or other causes. Symptoms of senile dementia include memory loss, confusion, personality changes, and language difficulties. There is no cure, but there are medications and therapies available that can be effective at slowing the progression of dementia in some patients.

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of senile dementia and is usually characterized by a very gradual onset of symptoms. Alzheimer's causes impairments in brain functioning that get progressively worse over time, eventually affecting motor control in addition to mental functioning.

The other main cause of dementia in the elderly is cerebrovascular or cardiovascular problems that eventually lead to brain damage, usually from strokes; this is also referred to as vascular dementia. Depending on the area of the brain that is damaged, onset of symptoms may be sudden or gradual, and symptoms may continue to worsen or stay at a steady level.

Memory loss is one of the first symptoms usually noticed, but in order for a doctor to make a diagnosis of senile dementia, at least two areas of brain functioning need to be impaired, such as cognitive skills, memory, perception, or language skills. Memory loss often starts with small things such as forgetting recent events or misplacing things. It can progress to include the loss of long-term memories, lack of recognition of loved ones, and disorientation such as the patient not knowing the season, location, or even who he or she is.

Symptoms of senile dementia dealing with cognitive skills include difficulties with tasks that require thought and the use of learned skills such as cooking, driving, paying bills, and learning new information. Patients may also have trouble reading, writing, working with numbers, and solving problems. Perception difficulties can occur such as the loss of the ability to recognize danger, or to properly judge a situation. Patients may have a variety of language difficulties, from having trouble remembering the correct words for things, to difficulty understanding others and losing the ability to communicate effectively.

Patients with senile dementia often experience psychological problems as well. Patients can experience personality changes ranging from subtle adjustments to dramatic transformations. They can become aggressive, hostile and violent. Confusion is common and may contribute to depression, agitation, and delusions as some patients lose touch with reality.

When a doctor is consulted, a diagnosis is usually made based on observation and interviews with the patient and loved ones. There are no tests that confirm senile dementia, but tests may be performed to rule other disorders out, and to try to determine cause. Although there is no cure, treatment is available to improve and maintain quality of life in many cases. There are several drugs, called cholinesterase inhibitors, which can slow the progression of dementia symptoms. In addition behavioral and cognitive therapies are often used maintain patient's functioning for as long as possible.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-senile-dementia.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.