We are all prone to forgetfulness every so often. At some point in your life, you’ve probably misplaced your phone, forgotten what you needed to get at the grocery store, or had trouble recalling someone’s name after you’ve been introduced.
Perhaps all three of those examples even occurred on the very same day. It happens when you’re feeling stressed or not getting enough sleep.
But as you get older, it becomes increasingly common to experience lapses in your Memory. If you’re having memory problems that significantly interfere with the quality of your everyday life, that may be an early warning sign of Dementia.
Dementia is a broad term for neurological conditions that affect memory, thinking, speaking, judgment, and the ability to perform daily tasks.
It’s normal to forget details as you age, but dementia causes more drastic memory changes.
Learning how to spot dementia symptoms can help you or your loved one Receive Treatment Sooner. Here are some of the early indicators of dementia.
Difficulty Communicating Thoughts
A person with dementia may have difficulty with expressing themselves verbally or in writing.
They may pause in the middle of a sentence and not know how to continue, forget what they were saying, repeat themselves multiple times, have trouble understanding what someone else is saying, or misremember words. Because of this, it may take longer for them to get their point across.
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Changes In Mood
Dementia affects more than just memory. In the early stages of dementia, depression is common. Someone with dementia may seem more fearful and anxious than usual.
They might get easily upset, agitated, and annoyed if their daily routine is disrupted or if they find themselves out of their comfort zone. Personality changes are also common. Usually, a loved one of someone with early signs of dementia will recognize these shifts in mood and personality first.
Trouble Completing Familiar Tasks
Dementia can make it a challenge to complete familiar tasks, such as keeping track of bills, preparing a meal, getting dressed, or brushing your teeth. Additionally, a person with dementia may struggle to learn new things and follow new routines.
Poor Judgment and Decision-Making
The ability to make good decisions often decreases with dementia. That loss of judgment can lead to inappropriate choices that may put a person with dementia in a dangerous situation.
For example, they might try to walk across a busy road without waiting until it’s safe, wear summer clothes when it’s snowing, and fall for scams.
Losing Sense of Direction
With dementia, a person’s sense of direction and their spatial abilities can start to worsen. They may forget how to reach places that were once familiar to them and fail to recognize common landmarks. Spatial orientation can also become compromised, causing issues with balance, walking, and judging the distance between objects.
These are just some, not all, of the early signs that might point to dementia. Again, memory changes due to aging are normal, but if you’re noticing severe lapses in memory in yourself or a loved one, it’s important to do more of your own research on your symptoms, as well as seek out a healthcare provider.
