senility
dementia. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 4th ed., says the term "dementia" is preferred to "senility"; "senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type" is an accepted term. Avoid the casual use of "senile/senility" as a synonym for "forgetful/forgetfulness" or "old/old age" and do not use it as though it is something inevitable for everyone, which is not true.
