As we age, some changes in mental and functional abilities are expected, for example, vision or hearing loss, decline in motor skills and balance, and so on. These are considered part of normal aging and occur regardless of whether or not a person has a lifelong intellectual or developmental disability.

Medical professionals describe dementia as a condition that causes a decline in memory and intellectual functioning severe enough to significantly interfere with everyday life. Dementia causes a person to lose their learned skills and capabilities.

In 2017, the National Alzheimer’s Association reported that 1 in 3 seniors dies with some form of dementia.

Note that “dementia” is a generic term describing an individual who is experiencing a significant decline in cognitive and functional ability. There are many specific types of dementia, each with their own symptoms and unique characteristics. Some causes of dementia include traumatic brain injury, severe alcoholism, stroke, and brain tumor. Alzheimer’s disease is the number one cause of dementia in the world today.