As we get older we tend to become a little more forgetful. But what is the difference between the normal aging process vs. when we should be concerned about dementia? Here are some guidelines to help us out:
Normal aging may look like occasionally forgetting where you left your keys or wallet. You may feel like you have information on the tip of your tongue that you just can’t quite recall immediately. Walking into a room and forgetting why you went in is a common one. However, dementia is recognized as a persistent, disabling decline in two areas of cognition, such as judgment, abstract thinking, or memory. Warning signs that of dementia may include memory loss so severe that it disrupts work, hobbies, family relationships, etc. If you or your family notice these memory lapses frequently enough to become a concern, it’s time to check in with your doctor. 
However, just because an elderly person is showing signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia does not automatically mean they have it. As nurses we should be advocates for our patients and educate them on possible causes of reversible memory loss not related to dementia. Depression is known to imitate signs of memory loss, causing difficulty accomplishing tasks and poor judgment. A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause memory loss because vitamin B12 protects neurons and promotes brain health. Thyroid issues that affect metabolism can cause confusion (fast metabolism) or feelings of sluggishness and depression (slow metabolism). Even dehydration, a common problem in the elderly population, can be the cause of drowsiness, confusion, and memory loss. By identifying the root cause of the memory loss, there is hope that it can be treated and be reversed. I think as nurses it is important that we not take the sign/symptom of memory loss and automatically think dementia. There are other causes of memory loss that should be explored in the treatment of this process.
Here is a youtube titled "Spotting the signs of dementia":
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