Dementia

Approximately five to seven percent of individuals over the age of 60 have dementia, and the number is growing rapidly (Prince et al., 2013). As such, it is important for clinicians to understand how to detect and treat this syndrome. This article uses the four-level approach proposed by Mast and Yochim (2017) as a framework to address dementia assessment and intervention. This approach recognizes the multi-component nature of dementia by targeting (1) neurobiology, (2) cognitive functioning, (3) psychology and behavior, and (4) caregivers. This article also discusses emerging areas in dementia research, including the use of biomarkers to detect preclinical stages of dementia and prevention factors.