Physiotherapy in Dementia

Abstract

The word Dementia comes from the Latin de meaning “without”and mens meaning “mind”. Dementia is a significant loss of intellectual abilities such as memory capacity, severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functioning. It affects memory, language, perception, behaviour and cognitive skills such as judgement and abstract thinking. Dementia usually first appears as forgetfulness. But as the dementia progresses and becomes worse, symptoms are more obvious and interfere with the ability of individuals to take care of themselves and ADL’s (Activities of Daily Living). Depression affects 20–30% of people who have dementia, and about 20% have anxiety1 . A recent survey done by Harvard University School of Public Health and the Alzheimer’s Europe consortium revealed that the second leading health concern (after cancer) among adults is Dementia2 . Prevalance of dementia increases with age over the age of 65, its prevelance is 5-10% and at 85 it is 25-50%. Most types of dementia are non-reversible which means the change in the brain that are causing the dementia can’t be stopped or turned back. Alzeheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.