The internet is full of great sites that address this question. Mindminder isn’t the best place to find further detail on Dementia so please use these links to get a fuller description.
NHS What is dementia?
Alzheimer’s Society About dementia
Dementia UK What is dementia?
Dementia is collective terms for a group of symptoms linked to a decline in the normal mental function of an individual and there are many different causes; some understood, some less-understood. Dementia typically
affects those aged 65 or over but, like any medical condition, can affect those outside the typical age
range and is also increasingly linked to head trauma (such as from regular sporting activities) or other influences at younger ages.
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for dementia however mindminder aims to provide more effective diagnosis and, importantly, the opportunity to provide unique links between lifestyle and the precursors of the condition; the data from mindminder may help inform later understandings of demographic, geographic, environmental or lifestyle links to mitigating, slowing, or managing the onset of the condition.
The symptoms of dementia may include memory loss, slower speed of mental reaction, loss of mental sharpness, forgetfulness or confusion, challenges with tasks such as speech (for example jumbling up words in sentences), judgement, reasoning or learning/understanding changes, usually negatively, in typical mood, emotions and reduction in co-ordination or physical movement capabilities.
The combination of one or more of these symptoms
can challenge the lifestyle, relationships, independence, or social aspects of a sufferer; often with significant negative consequences on the sufferer and their family/carers/social circle.
Note that mindminder uses the terms "Users" and "Carers" as these are specific roles within mindminder's design, however it is commonplace to use the term "People Living with Dementia" to cover both those with the condition ("Users") and those supporting them or affected by the burden of support (some of whom may be/become mindminder "Carers").
Dementia is not always immediately a “have”/”don’t
have” condition. In the early stages of dementia it may be hard to join up small fragments of evidence and anecdotes (for example periodic forgetfulness or mood-swings) to make a clear diagnosis. General tiredness, diet or lifestyle may create conditions that appear to manifest as dementia but are just a passing trait. However over time, these can be arranged to give a more complete diagnosis, however even after a positive diagnosis it is likely there will be periods where there is no evidence of the condition existing. This non-persistence and inconsistency in the early stages of dementia symptoms presenting can make life as a sufferer or carer stressful and challenging.
There are many forms of dementia but the most common, and commonly mentioned, are Alzheimer’s Disease, and Vascular Dementia. There are almost a
million people in the UK with some form, and some stage, of Dementia. The cost of Dementia care in the UK is almost £35 Billion (What are the costs of dementia care in the UK? | Alzheimer's Society(alzheimers.org.uk) and this is set to rise over the next decade due to the increasingly aged population.
Using mindminder in the first instance aims to reduce the burden of care, making it more efficient and therefore cost-effective however mindminder's collective data may ultimately be useful in understanding the wider causes, and hopefully cures, for Dementia in the future