Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a broad term that describes a wide range of symptoms that cause the decline of someone’s memory or thinking abilities. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease but it also includes illnesses like Parkinson’s or vascular dementia. The signs of dementia can sometimes be hard to spot, as they are similar to the natural aging process. What all these medical conditions have in common is the slow decline of a person’s memory, their reasoning skills, and their ability to carry out basic day-to-day tasks. Although dementia primarily affects the elderly, it is not a normal part of aging and is not inevitable. Instead, dementia is a complex medical condition that happens for reasons still not fully understood by the medical community. To receive the diagnosis of dementia, an individual usually has to show a number of the signs below.
1- Subtle short-term memory changesTrouble with memory is a common early symptom of dementia. The changes are often subtle and may involve little things like
- someone forgetting where they left a wallet,
- struggling to remember why they entered a particular room, or
- forgetting what they were supposed to do on any given day.
2- Difficulty finding the right wordsAt times, everyone struggles to find the right words to express themselves and their thoughts. But, an early symptom of dementia is struggling to communicate those thoughts at all. If this happens on a constant basis or if a loved one suddenly has a difficult time speaking in coherent sentences, this may be an early symptom of dementia. A person experiencing early dementia might avoid conversations. Because they may forget what they said previously or what the original conversation was about, engaging in conversation may be intimidating. Difficulty speaking can also be related to difficulty writing. Handwriting can become difficult to read and grammar and spelling may regress.
3- Difficulty completing normal tasksA subtle shift in the ability to complete normal tasks may indicate that someone has early dementia. If you notice that tasks like
- taking the bus to a regularly visited location,
- balancing a checkbook,
- making meals, or
- handling basic grooming needs
4- Personality changesHave you or your loved one suddenly lost interest in family or friends or suddenly stopped participating in hobbies you once enjoyed? Dramatic changes in personality are usually a hallmark symptom of dementia. Perhaps they might exhibit signs of becoming more withdrawn. Things like
- inappropriate behavior, and