Below is how a healthy brain functions when storing memories. Quite the complex process. This is why one person with dementia does not act and respond like another. Depending on the type of dementia, different parts of the brain may be affected. Add to that each person has a different personality.
The step in the process of remembering things that is strongly affected with dementia is working memory. As the person forgets details or just overlooks them, improper information gets into working memory. Then the output, or actions that are done, can be faulty because of the missteps in the working memory. For instance, the person might take a medication improperly because they held the instruction part about "take 1 pill" correctly in working memory but not the part that said "2 times per day". The brain is complex, therefore the damage done in Alzheimer's disease or other form of dementia is complex. Caregiving requires understanding that the damage from dementia is not straightforward, with unfortunately, no straightforward solutions.
Image by mindflash.com
