Memory loss is generally accepted as a fact of aging but for
some, it can be a symptom of a more serious problem, like
dementia. Dementia is an umbrella term for a set of symptoms
related to a decline in cognitive abilities, such as loss of
memory, judgment and changes in mood, says Jani Cardinal,
Support and Education Co-ordinator of the Alzheimer Society of
B.C. There are many causes of dementia, but Alzheimer's disease
accounts for two-thirds. Orvall Roer was one of thousands of
seniors in B.C. who could no longer ignore his symptoms, and
decided to seek a diagnosis. "I was really diagnosed with
vascular dementia, which is not quite the same as Alzheimer's,"
says Orvall. "I was a pharmacist, so I'm familiar with diagnoses
and treatment and that sort of thing, and if that's the way it
is, so be it. But I'm just trying to make the best of it."
Orvall's wife, Freda, a former psychiatric nurse, noticed Orvall
was having trouble with his short-term memory and had changes in
his personality. In 2002, Orvall was