The Truth About Aging and Dementia

Your body undergoes many changes with aging. Although there are some normal age-related changes, including in a person’s memory and thinking, dementia, or severe memory loss that interferes with daily life, is not part of the normal aging process.

What is normal aging?

Signs of aging can start as young as age 30. The process of aging includes many changes in the body including:

Changes in vision are a normal part of aging

Heart and blood vessels: Stiffening of arteries and blood vessels makes the heart work harder. Physical activities such as walking long distances or walking uphill may become more difficult.
Bones: Bones shrink and reduce in density, making them more fragile and likely to break. Cartilage in joints may start wearing away, which can cause some pain or stiffness.
Muscles: Muscles lose strength, flexibility, and endurance over time. Muscle mass decreases 3-5% every decade after 30 years of age, and that rate increases over age 60.
Bladder and bowel: The ability for the bladder to stretch and then go back to its normal shape may be reduced. This may cause the bladder to hold less urine than before, resulting in more frequent trips to the bathroom. Changes in bowel can lead to constipation.
Skin: Skin loses elasticity too, resulting in wrinkles in some people. It also thins and becomes more delicate, making it easier to get bruises and cuts.
Vision: Changes in vision can include far-sightedness, a result of the hardening of the lens. Cataracts, a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision, may develop. This can cause blurry vision and ultimately blindness if not treated.
Mental health: Aging is a process with many changes, and it may take a little getting used to. Some people may be depressed, although others may have a sense of fulfillment and feel happy with their lives.
Memory and Thinking (Cognition): Normal aging may mean slower processing speeds and more difficulty with multitasking, but routine memory, skills, and knowledge are stable and may even improve with age. It’s normal to occasionally forget recent events such as where the keys were last placed or the name of the person you just met.