One of the scariest words in the English language is “dementia,” a word derived from the Latin dementare, meaning to make mad or insane. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, affecting almost two-thirds of those diagnosed, and the two terms often are used interchangeably. However, dementia is an umbrella term that describes about 100 diseases that trigger a progressive loss of brain function. Sadly, although research is being done, and some medications are available that can alleviate symptoms for some individuals, there is no cure for dementia, and no effective treatment or cure on a large scale.