What is dementia?

Sometimes older people can become unwell. Dementia is an illness that stops the brain from working properly, here you can find out more about it and how it affects someone.

Like other parts of the body, brains sometimes get ill. There are some illnesses that stop a person’s brain from working properly.

When a person has one of these illnesses, their brain starts to have problems doing all the jobs it has to do.

  • The person may start to have problems remembering, thinking or speaking.
  • They might say or do things that seem strange.
  • They start finding it hard to do everyday things.
  • They may not seem like the same person they used to be.

Sometimes problems with the brain are caused by an illness called dementia.

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Find out more below:

This information was updated in November 2021 and is due for review in November 2023. Please contact us if you would like a version with references.