It is a clinical syndrome that progresses to a stage of deterioration in the person's cognitive functions compared to the level of function previously achieved. Behavioral disorders and deterioration in social and professional activities are observed. Another affected function group is daily living activities.

Dementia is not the same as forgetfulness. While patients with dementia can describe their youth in surprising detail, they have difficulty learning, recording and remembering new information. In dementia, memory loss occurs to the extent that it affects the person's daily life in a way that requires the help of other people. It is progressive and fatal. Alzheimer's is one of the most important causes of dementia.

The prevalence of dementia over the age of 65 is 5-10% and doubles every 5 years. Dementia is observed in 20-50% of 85-year-olds. Dementia is a serious health problem for both developing and developing countries. It starts with insidious forgetfulness, and forgetfulness in old age should not be considered normal.

Cases caught early are treated with medication to prolong the time it takes to turn into severe dementia, and the patient's ability to care for himself is preserved. Stages of Dementia EARLY STAGE Forgetfulness, difficulty in finding words Personality change Difficulties in calculation Losing objects, misplacing them Repetition of questions and sentences Confusion of the concepts of person, place and time MIDDLE STAGE Increase in memory loss Using inappropriate words Loss of simple care skills Personality change, loss of distinction between day and night Distant Inability to remember relatives or friends Difficulty in communication Extreme irritability, aimless wandering, daydreaming ADVANCED STAGE Insufficient nutrition Urinary and fecal incontinence Loss of mobility - bedriddenness Recently loss of all movement, speech and eating functions Precautions to Protect Health in Dementia Patients Relatives have a great responsibility in the care of patients with dementia falls.

Exercising regularly, Monitoring other diseases, Ensuring oral and dental hygiene, Using glasses, Coping with hearing problems, Using medications regularly, Ensuring safety at home is one of the important topics.