Dementia: Early Signs and Warnings
Everyone can be forgetful now and then. With as busy as our daily lives have become, forgetting to do something or go somewhere is inevitable. However, when forgetfulness becomes more than just occasional, and it disrupts your day-to-day life and activities, it could be a sign of Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia. For a refresher, Alzheimer’s is a disease that can result in a slow decline in memory, thinking, and the ability to reason. Each person can experience one of the following warning signs or more, and if you become aware of any of them, please talk to your doctor.
- 1. Memory Loss that Disrupts Daily Life
Inability to remember is one of the most common signs that Alzheimer’s may be present. This is especially true if someone is forgetting information he or she recently learned. Other things include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over again; increasingly needing to rely on memory aids like noes or electronic devices, or family members for those things they could handle on their own previously.
- 2. Challenges with Planning or Problem-Solving
A few people could experience changes in their ability to make and carry out a plan or work with numbers. They might also have some trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. Also, they could have more difficulty concentrating and take a lot longer to do things than they used to.
- 3. Difficulty Completing Tasks at Home, Work, or at Leisure
People suffering from Alzheimer’s often find it quite difficult to finish daily tasks. AT times they might even have trouble driving to familiar location, managing a budget at work, or remembering the rules of one of their favorite games.
- 4. Confusion with Time and Place
Those who have Alzheimer’s may sometimes lose track of dates, seasons, as well as the passage of time. They could also have issues with understanding something if it’s not going on around them right now. They might even forget where they are or how they got there.
- 5. Trouble Understanding Visual Images and Spatial Relationships
Some people might have vision problems (which could be a sign of Alzheimer’s). They might have issues with reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast, which could lead to a lot of problems with driving.
- 6. New Problems with Words in Speaking or Writing
Those with Alzheimer’s can have trouble following or joining in on a conversation. They might stop in the middle of a conversation and not know how to continue or they could repeat themselves. They could also struggle with vocabulary and have issues with finding the right word, or call things by the wrong name.
- 7. Misplacing things and Losing the Ability to Retrace Steps
Someone suffering from Alzheimer’s might sometimes leave things in strange places. They might lose things and not be able to go back over their steps to find them again. They might accuse others of stealing, and this can occur more frequently over time.
- 8. Decreased or Poor Judgement
Someone with Alzheimer’s can experience changes in judgement or decision-making abilities. For instance, they could use poor judgement when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They might also pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.
- 9. Withdrawal from Work or Social Activities
Alzheimer’s sufferers might start to become withdrawn from a favorite hobby or pastime, work projects, or sports. They might have trouble in keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete one of their favorite hobbies. They could also avoid being social due to changes they have experienced.
- 10. Changes in Mood or Personality
When people have Alzheimer’s, their moods and personalities can drastically change. They can become more confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They could also be easily upset at home, work, with friends or if they are in places that take them out of their comfort zone.
