Occasional forgetfulness is part of being human, but it can be concerning when you’re worried about dementia. That’s why learning about the early stages of dementia is so valuable. Having that information on hand can help you determine when there’s actually cause for concern. It also offers a useful reminder that dementia isn’t the only health condition that impacts cognition and memory, so it’s important to seek proper care to ensure that nothing is overlooked.
Recognizing the Early Stages of Dementia
As the Mayo Clinic explains, dementia isn’t a specific disease. Instead, it refers to a group of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, and social abilities to the extent that it interferes with your ability to live your life the way that you want to. Dementia can be caused by several diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Parkinson’s disease and traumatic brain injuries have also been linked to the condition. Learning to spot the early stages of dementia can help you get the best treatment possible.
Spotting Dementia Early
Everyone forgets things sometimes, so blanking on a name or misplacing your keys once in a while is to be expected. When should you worry it might be something more? Medical News Today offers a list of common problem areas. People in the early stages of dementia generally struggle with at least two of them severely enough to cause significant problems in their daily lives:
- Memory. People with dementia often struggle with newly-learned information. In contrast, seniors without dementia may find they forget things more frequently but are able to remember them later.
- Misplacing items. Someone who puts things in the wrong place is often frustrated or scared. They may accuse others of trickery or theft.
- Personality changes. Mood swings and personality changes are common. People with dementia frequently become anxious, irritable, depressed, or fearful.
- Problem-solving and planning. Creating a solution for a problem or following a plan like a recipe can be a struggle for someone with dementia.
- Time and place. Dementia sufferers often become unmoored from time and place. They easily lose track of time and may forget where they are.
- Comprehending visual information. When making sense of visual data becomes difficult, it can be hard to read, judge distances, or separate colors.
- Completion of familiar tasks. Performing familiar tasks at work or home can become a struggle.
- Communication. If spoken or written language skills falter, it can be isolating. The person with dementia may struggle to speak or follow a verbal conversation, especially if they have trouble remembering what has been said or are embarrassed about their difficulties. Someone troubled by difficulties writing may struggle with grammar, spelling, or poor handwriting.
- Social withdrawal. People with dementia may withdraw from their social circle. It may be a lack of interest in interreacting with others or a lack of energy. Alternately, it may be an attempt to hide their struggles.
- Poor judgment. People dealing with dementia can be overwhelmed or persuaded easily, so they sometimes display poor judgment. They may also let their hygiene slip.
Being Aware of Other Possibilities
There are a variety of things that can cause dementia-like symptoms. When you treat the underlying condition, the dementia-like symptoms generally vanish in these cases. That makes being vigilant and aware of other possibilities smart. According to Mayo Clinic, the list of conditions that can trigger confusion, memory loss, and other dementia-like symptoms includes the following:
- Medication side effects
- Infections
- Immune disorders
- Endocrine and metabolic issues
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Subdural hematomas
Finding Help
If you’re worried about dementia, it’s important to seek help. As AARP explains, the journey may start with a primary care doctor. However, most people will eventually see a neurologist for more specialized care. Doctors will talk with you and discuss your medical history and family history. They’ll use cognitive and neuropsychological tests, lab tests, imaging tests, and various other tools to evaluate you and assess your risk and status. Identifying any problems early allows you to find treatments that can help you maintain your health for as long as possible. It also helps you evaluate your future needs so that you can begin planning.
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Awareness of dementia’s early stages is important because having the information that you need to make good decisions about your health is empowering. At Waterstone on Augusta, we work diligently to provide communities where residents feel confident that their health and happiness are always the top priority.
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