Dementia (including Alzheimer's disease)

Definite diagnosis of dementia, which must be characterized by a progressive deterioration of memory and at least one of the following areas of cognitive function:

• aphasia (a disorder of speech);
• apraxia (difficulty perform ing familiar tasks);
• agnosia (difficulty recognizing objects);
• disturbance in executive functioning (e.g. inability to think abstractly and to plan, initiate, sequence, monitor, and stop complex behaviour), which is affecting daily life.

The insured person must exhibit:

• dementia of at least moderate severity, which must be evidenced by a Mini Mental State Exam of 20/30 or less, or equivalent score on another generally medically accepted test or tests of cognitive function; and
• evidence of progressive worsening in cognitive and daily functioning either by serial cognitive tests or by history over at least a 6-month period.

  For the purposes of this definition, reference to the Mini Mental State Exam is to Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR, J Psychiatr Res. 1975;12(3):189.

The diagnosis of dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) must be made by a specialist.

Exclusion

No benefit will be payable under the definition of "dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease)" for affective or schizophrenic disorders, or delirium.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and incurable disease that is characterized by memory loss as one of the first noticeable symptoms. This disease causes dementia, which is a progressive deterioration of mental capacities severe enough to prevent the person from performing their basic daily activities, both social and professional.