What is dementia? It is the loss of cognitive function. In practical terms, this means a person begins to see a reduction in mental capacities. These shortcomings can range from memory loss to the inability to perform tasks. As time passes, these problems tend to intensify and ultimately result in a person who has difficultly performing any voluntary cognitive functions whatsoever.

Dementia is, in fact, a term that is used to cover many forms of mental difficulties. With seniors, the three prominent forms are vascular dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Let's take a closer look at each.

Vascular dementia is the impairment of mental capacity due to a reduce flow of blood. Blood flow reduction often occurs naturally as we age throughout our body. Many people first notice it when their feet feel cold in the evening. With vascular dementia, the same basic thing is occurring. The vascular pathways through the brain have closed up a bit over time and less blood is getting through. This means less oxygen and less brain function.

Alzheimer's is a brutal form of dementia. Ironically, it is not that hard on the patient. The patient is obviously burdened with the realization that they are slowly losing their ability to remember and function, but they feel no pain. Their family, however, tends to go through a form of a hell as they watch a loved one fade away.

Alzheimer's is a form of dementia that occurs when health brain tissue fails. It tends to clump and turn into plaque like structures. As this occurs, the patient loses motor and social brain functions and ultimately is rendered into a vegetable like state. There is no known cause or cure for Alzheimer's disease, but progress is being made in treatments that can delay the progression of the disease.

Parkinson's disease is often called a practical dementia, although it is not technically a form of dementia. Parkinson's occurs when neurons in a certain part of the brain begin firing incorrectly. This leads to tremors and shaking of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face. It can also lead to poor balance and slowness in movements. As the disease evolves, the patient loses the ability to do many daily functions. While there is no cure to the disease, drug treatments exists to control the shaking and tremors.

Seniors are living longer as medical care improves. With this longer lifespan comes some risks that need to be considered. If your parents or loved ones are aging, dementia may be an issue you need to gain a better understanding of to provide them with the support they need while keeping yourself sane.