Normal Aging Dementia

Not being able to remember details of a
conversation or event that took place a year ago
Not being able to remember the name of an
acquaintance
Forgetting things and events occasionally
Occasionally have difficulty finding words
You are worried about your memory but your
relatives are not
Not being able to recall details of recent events or
conversations
Not recognizing or knowing the names of family
members
Forgetting things or events more frequently
Frequent pauses and substitutions when finding
words
Your relatives are worried about your memory, but
you are not aware of any problems

What do we mean by delirium?

Also called the acute confusional state, delirium is a medical condition that results in confusion and
other disruptions in thinking and behavior, including changes in perception, attention, mood and
activity level. Individuals living with dementia are highly susceptible to delirium. Unfortunately, it can
easily go unrecognized even by healthcare professionals because many symptoms are shared by
delirium and dementia. Sudden changes in behavior, such as increased agitation or confusion in the late
evening, may be labeled as sundowning and dismissed as the unfortunate natural progression of
ones dementia.

When is a change in behavior delirium and not part of dementia?

In dementia, changes in memory and intellect are slowly evident over months or years. Delirium is a
more abrupt confusion, emerging over days or weeks, and represents a sudden change from the
persons previous course of dementia. Unlike the subtle decline of Alzheimers disease, the confusion
of delirium fluctuates over the day, at times dramatically. Thinking becomes more disorganized, and
maintaining a coherent conversation may not be possible. Alertness may vary from a hyperalert or
easily startled state to drowsiness and lethargy. The hallmark separating delirium from underlying
dementia is inattention. The individual simply cannot focus on one idea or task.