Dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning.
There are many different causes of dementia, and many different types, including the more well known Alzheimer’s disease.
Symptoms
Symptoms may include issues in:
- memory loss
- thinking speed
- language and speaking
- understanding and comprehension
- judgement
- mood
- movement
- difficulty doing day-to-day activities
People with dementia may have difficulty managing their emotions, behaviour and relationships. Sometimes, people have a change in personality, or have a lack of empathy.
Dementia affects a person’s mental capabilities, and so the individual will need support from friends and family in decision making.
Sometimes, people can experience hallucinations; see or hear things that are not there.
Getting Support
Receiving a diagnosis can come as a shock, and is a scary prospect for many people, but you are not alone.
Here are some resources supporting people affected by dementia:
We also wanted to highlight the importance of peer support within gaming. If you’re a carer in the games industry and want to connect with other people with caring responsibilities, consider joining our Discord server.
We spoke to our community who have caring responsibilities to highlight what it’s like to be a carer in the games industry, which you can read here.