Dementia Among the Elderly: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Coping Mechanism

Health as a quality of life and indispensable asset is desirable at all ages including advanced age. Healthy aged people are of high value, especially in African culture, as they possess experience, knowledge, wisdom and virtues. However, ageing is usually accompanied by debilitating conditions such as dementia, a health condition in which cognitive functions deteriorate to a degree that affects everyday life. Dementia is a major cause of disability and dependence among older citizens. This paper focused on prevalence, risk factors, impact and coping mechanisms. School and occupational health education were recommended to increase knowledge of risk factors and mitigate the disease burden.