Noticing the Early Signs of Dementia - Memory loss, confusion, and more

Noticing the Early Signs of Dementia

Dementia is a condition that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It can develop slowly over time, so the early signs are often missed or dismissed. However, paying attention to subtle changes in yourself or a loved one can help lead to an early diagnosis. This gives more time to plan for the future and start treatment options that may help slow the progression.

Memory Loss

One of the most common early symptoms of dementia is memory loss. This goes beyond normal age-related forgetfulness. A person with early dementia may repeat questions or stories multiple times without realizing it. They may forget recent events, appointments, conversations, or newly learned information. Memory loss is often one of the first noticeable signs of dementia.

Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks

A person in the early stages of dementia may have increasing trouble with tasks that were previously routine. This includes activities like driving places they normally go, preparing meals, getting dressed, or handling finances. A person may struggle to complete multi-step tasks like making a pot of coffee or balancing a checkbook. These difficulties signal problems with concentration and reasoning.

Problems Understanding Visual Information

Difficulty reading, judging distance, recognizing colors, or telling the difference between similar items is another early sign of dementia. A person may read a passage but be unable to summarize or recall what they just read. They may have trouble navigating stairs or pour coffee into a bowl instead of a cup. Failing to recognize people, places, or objects can be an early indicator of dementia.

Disorientation with Time or Place

People in early stages of dementia can become confused about dates, seasons, and the passage of time. They may forget what year it is or where they are. A person may get lost in a familiar neighborhood, forget how they got to the store, or be unable to remember the way home. Wandering and getting lost are common early symptoms of dementia.

Problems Speaking or Writing

Having trouble finding the right words in conversation is a common early sign of dementia. A person may stop in the middle of a sentence and be unable to continue. They may repeat themselves or use the wrong word. Written communication can also become impaired. Early on, a person with dementia may have trouble writing clearly or downplay writing issues by avoiding tasks like letter writing.

Misplacing Things

A tendency to often misplace items is a symptom of dementia that frequently shows up in the early stages. A person may put things in unusual places, like a watch in the freezer or keys in the mailbox. They may accuse others of stealing items that they have simply misplaced. A person with dementia may also place items in inappropriate places without realizing it.

Sudden Mood or Personality Changes

Rapid, unexplained shifts in mood or personality can signal dementia. A calm person may suddenly become angry, anxious, depressed, paranoid, or irritable for no clear reason. Alternatively, someone who is typically active may withdraw from friends, lose interest in hobbies, and become apathetic. Dramatic mood swings and out-of-character behaviors often arise in early dementia.

Apathy and Loss of Motivation

A dementia patient may exhibit apathy early on by being less meticulous about personal care and grooming. Whereas they used to exercise regularly or keep a tidy home, they now need prompting to bathe or do chores. They may abandon hobbies and projects they previously enjoyed. A lack of interest and overall low motivation can be an early sign of dementia.

Difficulty Adapting to Change

People with early dementia tend to struggle with major or minor changes in routine. They may have trouble driving a different route home or eating at a new restaurant. Switching radio stations can be frustrating. Travel or social gatherings with unfamiliar people are often upsetting. An inability to adapt points to failing memory and reasoning skills.

Problems Calculating and Handling Money

Issues managing money, paying bills, making change, and evaluating simple math are common symptoms of early dementia. A person may make very poor financial decisions or pay a bill multiple times. They might compulsively give away money or pay outrageous prices for items. An inability to manage finances is often one of the first signs that something is wrong.

Poor Judgment and Decision Making

In early dementia, someone may neglect personal hygiene by wearing dirty clothes or not bathing. They may make inappropriate or unsafe decisions, like giving personal information to strangers. A person may disregard warning labels or use household items in unsafe ways. Impaired judgment exposes them to risks that compromise health and safety.

Repeating Questions and Stories

Unaware they already asked a question or told a story, people with early dementia will repeat themselves. They may ask what's for dinner numerous times in an hour. Or they will recount the same childhood story to the same person several times in one conversation. Repeating themselves is tied to memory problems.

Easily Losing Things

It's common for people in early stages of dementia to frequently misplace essential items like wallets, keys, eyeglasses, and remote controls. They may lose the same items over and over. A person may accuse others of stealing when in fact they simply cannot recall where they placed an object. Losing things can cause embarrassment and frustration.

Forgetting Appointments and Events

Missed doctor's appointments, forgotten birthdays, and lack of awareness about upcoming events are red flags. A person with early dementia retains new information only briefly. Reminders and notifications do not help counteract short-term memory impairment. Forgetting key dates and obligations disrupts work, family life, and health management.

Confusion About Time of Day

Waking up very early or late in the day can signal dementia. A person may get dressed for the day in the middle of the night. Or they may sleep until 3 p.m. because they lost track of time. Irregular sleep patterns and grogginess during the day result from a disrupted circadian rhythm and brain chemicals.

Struggling to Follow Conversations

Following along and contributing to conversations can become difficult for someone with early stage dementia. They may be unable to keep up with the back-and-forth banter during social gatherings. Group conversations around the dinner table can be frustrating or alienating. Withdrawing from social interactions often follows.

Difficulty Recognizing Faces and Objects

A person with early dementia may have trouble recognizing faces, including their own reflection or pictures of loved ones. They can also have difficulty identifying objects or telling the difference between similar items. This symptom arises because the brain has trouble processing visual information accurately.

Taking Longer to Perform Routine Tasks

A noticeable slowdown in everyday activities like showering, getting dressed, or preparing a meal provides a clue to early dementia. A task that once took 30 minutes may suddenly require an hour. This happens because routine sequence of steps becomes confusing and disjointed.

Poor Sense of Direction

Individuals in early stages of dementia often get lost in familiar places. They forget how to navigate well-known routes and cannot recall directions. A deteriorating sense of direction makes it easy to get disoriented or lost while driving, shopping, or even within the home.

Difficulty Finding the Right Words

When talking, a person with early dementia often pauses and struggles to find words. They may describe an object rather than name it directly. Or they might use the wrong word altogether, saying "hand" instead of "shirt." Word retrieval difficulty signals underlying changes in the brain's language center.

Decline in Work Performance

Even early stage dementia affects a person's ability to function at work. They may have trouble learning new systems, forget meetings, struggle with tasks, or make uncharacteristic mistakes. Handling complex projects and relating to colleagues becomes increasingly difficult. A noticeable drop in work skills arises.

Problems Balancing a Checkbook

Managing finances and numbers becomes difficult for someone with early dementia. Balancing a checkbook may suddenly seem like a confusing chore. Small mathematical calculations needed for tasks like tipping or counting change can overwhelm. Bills and bank statements accumulate unmanaged.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.