Sereen W Asks...
What is the difference between normal aging and dementia?
Almost 40 per cent of people over the age of 65 experience some form of memory loss but how can we tell the difference between age-associated memory impairment and Dementia. Alzheimer’s Canada has identified the following differences:
Normal aging: not being able to remember details of a conversation or event that took place a year ago.
Dementia: not being able to recall details of recent events or conversations.
Normal aging: not being able to remember the name of an acquaintance.
Dementia: not recognizing or knowing the names of family members
Normal aging: forgetting things and events occasionally
Dementia: forgetting things or events more frequently
Normal aging: occasionally have difficulty finding words
Dementia: frequent pauses and substitutions when finding words
Normal aging: you are worried about your memory but your relatives are not
Dementia: your relatives are worried about your memory, but you are not aware of any problems
Source: http://www.alzheimer.ca/en/About-dementia/What-is-dementia/Normal-aging-vs-dementia
Best,
Pearl