What is Dementia?
By Philip
Image from the Acenda Integrated Health
It would be at a 2013 marathon in Barcelona where John and his wife would spend time with each other. He was her “rock, and [she] was the kite” reflecting his solid and grounded presence in her life. John managed their finances, ran the household, and everything else. However, in 2013, during the trip to a marathon in Barcelona, John suddenly had a stroke. Despite this, the incident went undiagnosed for a long time, and his wife, Jo, would grow concerned. A couple years later, John would start to struggle more and more with recognizing wider family members, remembering location and roads, and couldn’t figure out how to do small tasks around the house. In 2017, during their 20th anniversary, at 73 years old, he would be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment with the prospect that it could turn into dementia.
What is Dementia?
The word dementia itself is an umbrella term used to encompass a collection of symptoms that one might experience if they are living through certain diseases. These diseases are grouped under the umbrella term because they are all considered abnormalities in the brain’s behavior. Different types of dementia mainly include Alzheimer’s, Vascular, Lewy body, Frontotemporal, and Mixed. The abnormal changes in the brain, as mentioned before, affect behavior, feelings, relationships, and trigger a decline in cognitive ability. In some cases, these abnormalities can be so severe to the point where daily life and independent function can be extremely challenging.
Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment
There are many symptoms of dementia, and they can vary greatly depending on each person. Some examples include short-term memory, problems with attention, mood swings, trouble finding the right words, trouble identifying familiar people, difficulty remembering recent events, and increased anxiety. These issues can get progressively worse if not treated properly. Despite this, how to prevent some of these issues includes lifestyle changes, managing cardiovascular health, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking. Although there is no cure, catching these symptoms early can significantly improve the quality of life for the affected individuals and their families. Early and accurate diagnosis can help determine the causes of certain symptoms as some can be confused with conditions like depression or vitamin deficiencies. Though there are solutions an individual can take to curtail certain symptoms or improve quality of life, the most important way of supporting these patients is through caregiving and significant support from family and friends. For example, more elderly patients require more care and supervision than those younger.
John, previously mentioned before in the beginning, would need more support as his condition deteriorated. In fact, his condition became so bad that it reached the point where he was no longer able to walk alone. However, in 2023, DementiaUK’s dementia specialist admiral nurse Liz came to the rescue. In February 2024, at the pinnacle of John’s terrible condition, he received a spinal fracture from a fall. Jo was devastated, but two days later Liz and many more supporters answered the call and gave proper treatment to John. In the end, as John received much more care, attention, and support, Jo did not have to go through such trauma all by herself and Liz was the cornerstone of that support. She was able to help Jo get through mental struggles of seeing her husband so damaged, and also help John get the care he needed. There are plenty more situations like this and it highlights the work of these nurses and caregivers, deeming them essential towards the fight against dementia and much more. Volunteering with organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association, raising awareness through fundraising events, promoting brain health in your own life and community, and advocating for policy changes, are just a few ways to get involved in the fight against dementia and it shows that truly anyone can be a part of this greater cause.
References
“Dementia WPRO.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/westernpacific/health-topics/dementia#tab=tab_1. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
“Dementia.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 7 June 2025, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352013.
“Jo’s Story - ‘My Whole World Shrank.’” Dementia UK, 7 Oct. 2025, www.dementiauk.org/information-and-support/stories/jos-story-my-whole-world-shrank.
“What Is Dementia? Symptoms, Causes & Treatment.” Alzheimer’s Association, www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
“What Is Dementia? Symptoms, Types, and Diagnosis | National Institute on Aging.” National Institute on Aging, www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-and-dementia/what-dementia-symptoms-types-and-diagnosis. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
