The prevention of dementia: what should everyone know about?
Introduction. The prevention of dementia is an important matter not only for mental health professionals and the government but also every citizen of our country. Some young and adult people have predisposition to dementia due to diseases that seem to be insignificant at first glance. Education, mental and physical activities, healthy lifestyle are the major factors in intact development and successful ageing. Materials and methods. The theoretical analisis methods of scientific sources of medical-psychological-pedagogical nature oriented towards learning about a modern condition of dementia prevention were used in the study. An attempt to generalize existing experience and to provide an algorithm of dementia prevention based on basic, primary and secondary interventions was made. Results. Cognitive impairments and dementia are global social issues of our century. Existing psychological and pedagogical strategies are not able to neither prevent impairments nor to stop development of progressing degenerative processes. Preventive measures of cognitive impairment are of primary importance and should be implemented for people at risk. Discussion and conclusion. Psychological and pedagogical preventive measures should be implemented for all elderly people. Primary dementia prevention is conducted when risk factors for cognitive impairments are present. Secondary prevention involves identification and control of risk factors that cause progression of existing intellectual and mnestic impairments.