Overview: dementia and the role of occupational therapy practitioner

Abstract

Dementia is a cognitive disorder that includes a decline in mental ability. It is different from other cognitive disorders that people may get confused with, such as delirium and amnesia (Table 1). It affects basic cognitive skills (memory, attention), and higher executive functioning (i.e., planning, organization, and sequencing). Dementia results from impaired cognition, due to damage to the brain. The majority of dementia cases (60% to 80%) are classified as Alzheimer’s disease.1 Dementia includes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to gradually reduce a person’s ability to perform even basic activities of daily living at later and severe stages of the disease. Memory loss, miscommunication, inability to focus and pay attention, poor reasoning and poor judgment, and visual misperception are some common and core symptoms of dementia. In addition, people with dementia may have problems keeping track of things, managing their finances, preparing meals, remembering appointments or outdoor travelling.2