Case scenario

Joe, a 76-year-old man, visits the pharmacy accompanied by his daughter, who expresses concern about his increasing forgetfulness and confusion over the past year. Joe has begun misplacing items, repeating questions and occasionally getting lost in familiar places. You ask Joe and his daughter about the progression of symptoms, daily functioning and any changes in mood or behaviour. He denies feeling depressed but expresses frustration with his poor memory. He is currently taking medicines for hypertension and type 2 diabetes. 

Introduction

Dementia was the leading cause of death in 2024, with deaths from dementia increasing by 39% over the past decade.1 It is a progressive, life-limiting syndrome characterised by a decline in cognition and functional abilities.2 The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease (50–75% of cases), followed by vascular dementia (20–30%), frontotemporal dementias (up to 10%), and dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia (up to 10%).2

Learning outcomes

After reading this article, pharmacists should be able to:

  • Describe the causes of dementia
  • Identify the signs and symptoms of dementia
  • Discuss management strategies for dementia
  • Describe the pharmacist’s role in supporting individuals with dementia.

Competency standards (2016) addressed:

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