Losing my father: Comprehensive geriatric assessment identifies
nature of dimentia Dementia means "deprived of mind." It is not
a disease itself, but a range of symptoms that characterize
several diseases and conditions, all of which are identified by
declining intellectual functioning that goes beyond normal
aging. The decline is severe enough to interfere with the
ability to perform routine day-to-day activities. Alzheimer’s
disease is just one condition that falls under the umbrella term
of dementia. Although Alzheimer’s progresses differently in
different people, memory is always affected. The question for
many families is how to tell if memory loss is caused by
Alzheimer’s or by another condition, one that may be reversible.
Dr. Mathew Wayne, the medical director of University Hospitals
Foley Elder Health Center explains the importance of getting a
comprehensive geriatric assessment whenever there are concerns
about memory loss, confusion, or other signs of dementia. "The
comprehensive geriatric assessme