Mild dementia is the least severe stage of dementia, a condition that affects a person's mental state, making it difficult or even impossible to remember memories and skills. As such, it can hinder the ability to perform activities, and cause frustration to individuals by disrupting their daily routine. The mental stress of this condition commonly causes behavioral changes. With mild dementia, the condition is not so severe that it can't be reversed, or at least adjusted to. People may still even be able to lead relatively normal lives. In some cases, what seems to be mild dementia may be the earliest stage of a dementia which will grow progressively worse, such as with Alzheimer's disease.
Dementia isn't a disease in and of itself, but rather a secondary condition caused either by an illness, an imbalanced mental state or physical injury. If the cause of the dementia can be resolved, then the dementia itself may be reversed. Individuals working through a traumatic event, through a bout of depression, experiencing trouble with medications or who have some other sort of treatable condition may be able to successfully cure symptoms of dementia.
Mild dementia could also be brought on by blunt head trauma, after which a person may suffer temporary amnesia and difficulty performing certain tasks. Of course, if the injury is severe enough, damage and dementia may be a more severe and permanent condition. A person could also seem to temporarily experience an advanced stage of dementia, depending on the severity of the condition or injury.
People dealing with mild dementia often still possess enough of their mental faculties to fully comprehend their mental condition. They understand that they’re having difficulty remembering things, or that they find it harder to deal with certain tasks and functions they used to find easier. If dementia progresses, they may begin to lose the ability to understand their condition. They may not remember anymore that they've had to ask the same question multiple times over; they may even begin to completely forget certain memories, or even people if they're dealing with Alzheimer's disease.
People suffering from mild dementia typically need a caregiver to help them along, even if the condition is only temporary. In mild cases of dementia, the caregiver is often a family member, who may not find it overwhelming to help the patient with day-to-day tasks. In some mild cases, emotional support may be the most important kind of assistance, as affected individuals may still be able to lead fairly normal lives on their own, but may find the changes emotionally taxing. In situations where the family is unable to give complete care, outside nursing assistance may be necessary. This is often the case with the elderly, whose daily needs can often range far beyond assistance with dementia. If an individual is suffering from an advanced stage of dementia, they'll almost certainly need outside medical assistance.