Dementia: Causes, Symptoms and Types

The purpose of this course is to give caregivers a basic understanding of dementia and the significant challenges it poses in regard to caregiving.

The term ‘dementia’ refers to a pattern of features and traits; it is not a disease by itself. Rather, it is associated with many different underlying disorders. The term is used to mean a significant impairment or loss of mental ability.

Dementia causes many areas of intellectual ability to decline. It can interfere with the daily functioning of a healthy, alert person. The decline affects many areas, such as vocabulary, judgment, reasoning, physical coordination, and mathematics.