Dementia - or a decrease in mental capabilities - is common in the elderly. It causes a decline in social and occupational functioning and may eventually result in nursing home placement due to incapacitation. Doctors need to make an accurate and early diagnosis of dementia to provide the patient the best treatment options.
About 5 to 15 percent of people 65 and older suffer from some form of dementia - the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease. As people age, the risk of dementia increases.
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