Dementia is not a natural part of aging. It is caused when a disease damages nerve cells in the brain.

 

It’s a general term for a decline in cognitive abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life. It affects memory, thinking, communicating, visual spatial judgment, executive function, calculation and decision-making, etc.

 

In Hong Kong, among individuals aged 70 or above, the prevalence is estimated to be around 10%, while for those aged 85 and above, it rises to approximately 30%. With an aging population, the number of dementia cases is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.