Do Memory Problems in the Elderly Always Mean Dementia?

Does forgetfulness always mean dementia? Many people experience memory loss as they age, such as forgetting where they have put things and what they were supposed to do. Are these the signs of dementia? Memory loss can be a normal phenomenon as we age, but may also be a warning and precursor of mild dementia. Our memory will decline gradually along with the normal ageing process, and it should not largely affect our daily life. Yet, if we overlook the situation, the brain condition may deteriorate and develop into dementia, presenting with changes in thinking abilities, mental illnesses and impaired self-care abilities.

Dementia is the decline in brain function led by damaged brain neurons. This condition usually occurs in people over the age of 80, and the risk increases with age. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Similar to other cells in the body, brain cells also die. Dementia patients experience quicker brain cell death than normal people, leading to cerebral atrophy. This hinders brain functions including memory and cognitive functions (e.g., learning, understanding, language ability, sense of direction, and judgement), and triggers mood swings. Patients also lose their self-care abilities gradually and require assistance from caregivers.

How should you distinguish between normal memory loss and dementia? Normal forgetfulness develops over time. Elders will realise their poor memory, while their family members may not notice it. On the contrary, pathological dementia causes memory loss in a short period of time, such as forgetting the events that have just happened, and even the names of family members and friends. Patients cannot notice their poor memory or will deny this fact. Their conditions are usually diagnosed only when family members discover that their memory has deteriorated in the past year and their self-care abilities decline significantly.

If you identify the following symptoms of pathological memory loss in your family members, you are advised to seek appropriate examination and diagnosis from doctors.

Repeatedly say the same thing, such as questions and statements

Become suspicious of people around them. When they lose precious property, they will accuse their family members of stealing their things

Confuse dates and places in their memory with those in the present. Wander or get lost in familiar places, such as entering the wrong floor that is of the same floor number as their old home.

Experience hallucinations (especially at dusk) and sleep talking (e.g. about their dreams). Sometimes they may flail their arms and legs in their sleep. If these symptoms are present, the patient may suffer from dementia with Lewy bodies but not Alzheimer's disease.

It is difficult to distinguish normal memory loss from dementia without a professional diagnosis. The following signs may indicate mild dementia: first, seniors or their family members notice a decline in their memory. Second, their cognitive test results show that they have poorer memory and thinking abilities when compared with elders of the same age and educational level, but have normal cognitive abilities such as language and judgement as well as self-care abilities. Early attention to brain health can facilitate treatment in the golden period and slow down brain degeneration.