Dementia is not something to joke about. We can tease our loved ones about having a bad memory for anything, but we can see when memory starts to deteriorate. Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, gets progressively worse over time and there is no cure. To put it bluntly, parts of the brain start to die. As those parts die off, the person that you’ve always been or the loved one you know becomes less and less of themselves. With that said, what are some early signs of dementia to watch for?
There are certain things that contribute to dementia, from hearing loss to high blood pressure over time. Understanding hearing loss and it’s link to dementia is important, especially if you are nervous about losing your hearing over time. There are plenty of early signs of dementia to look out for, however, and the closer you look, the more you may see things that become more apparent. Let’s take a look at early warning signs of dementia:
Common Dementia Signs: Memory Loss
Memory loss is a hallmark of dementia. What this looks like is different for different poeople. Perhaps you can no longer retain new info.
And memory relating to language often changes too (discussed later in this post). Forgetting new info, such as conversations you had only recently or a person’s name, might be among the first indicators of dementia.
Perhaps you get lost in a place you’ve been to many times, too. That sense of being disoriented is one addressed further down in this post. You might also struggle to put a name to a face of someone who you’ve known for some time.
Trouble Doing Everyday Activities
Familiar tasks are now difficult tasks. And they get worse as dementia progresses. What was once easy is now more complex.
Eventually tasks like dressing and brushing your teeth get difficult to do on your own. That’s when home support becomes a must, both for safety and for a decent quality of life.
Yes, we all get busy and distracted, and you might forget to serve part of a meal from time to time, but if that starts to become your new normal, then that’s not normal and it’s a problem. Speak with your doctor if something like that starts to occur.
Language Changes
Your language and your communication is starting to change. If you’re forgetting words or you’re substituting words that don’t fit into a conversation, then speaking to your doctor is super important.
Anyone could have trouble finding the right word to express what they want to say, but if you’re living with dementia, you might even forget the simplest of words. Or you might ask the same question several times as you can’t remember the answer. You need to be aware of what you’re saying and don’t dismiss anybody who tells you about forgetting things like this.
Disorientation as a Sign of Dementia
Feeling disoriented is a big marker of dementia. It’s why you might see new reports of missing people with memory loss walking about the streets, away from home. The reason is that changes in the brain affect your ability to recognize where you are and find your bearings. You might even have problems distinguishing day from night.
Losing a sense of time and space could be an early sign of dementia. It’s definitately a reason to see the doctor.
Understanding dementia is important if you want to get on top of the symptoms early. Adjustments to your routine and proper care can improve your quality of life. Please see your doctor if you worry about these or other things potentially being signs of dementia.
Photo by sasirin pamai’s Images (Canva Free Content License).