About 4 million people in the United States are affected by dementia.

Frustration and agitation are two emotions Missie Schulz sees in patients suffering from dementia. "They know subconsciously that they should know how to make a scrambled egg but they can't remember the steps," says patient educator Missie Schulz.

Neurologist Dr. Lane Carlin says, "There are word finding difficulties, executive planning difficulties, people have trouble making lists or planning out their day."

The current treatment for dementia is now limited to several different medications. "They will basically put the disease on hold in the best case scenario for about 18 months," says Dr. Carlin.

Missie says that caregivers of these patients may also become frustrated because they can experience a feeling of helplessness. "Be understanding, sympathize with them and not always correct them."

A recent study reported good news for people who exercise as they age: older men who walk more than a couple miles a day were 71% less likely to develop dementia than those who did no exercise. The study from the Journal of the American Medical Association also found that mental games and activities can help to delay the onset of dementia.