Warning signs of Dementia

As I have said in earlier posts, my friend has been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia and is starting to show a decline in his ability to function. Dementia is a term that describes a variety of symptoms affecting a person's cognitive functioning, including their ability to think, remember, and reason. Dementia occurs when nerve cells in a person's brain stop working. Although it typically happens in older people, it is not an inevitable part of ageing. The brain's natural deterioration happens to everyone as they grow older, but it occurs more quickly in people with dementia. Dementia tends to get worse over time, and there are a few key early warning signs.

There are 10 typical early signs of dementia. Here are the first five. For a person to receive a diagnosis, they would usually experience two or more of these symptoms, and the symptoms would be severe enough to interfere with their daily life.

These early signs of dementia are:

1. Memory loss

A person developing dementia may have trouble remembering dates or events. Memory loss is a common symptom of dementia. A person with dementia may find it difficult to recall information they have recently learned, such as dates or events, or new information. They may find they rely on friends and family or other memory aids for keeping track of things.

Our workshop on Memory Loss is very popular, and I think it is because many of us relate memory loss to dementia. It is important to remember that while most people occasionally forget things more frequently as they age, they can usually recall them later if their memory loss is age-related and not due to dementia.

2. Difficulty planning or solving problems

A person with dementia may find it difficult to follow a plan, such as a recipe when cooking, or directions when driving. Problem-solving may also get more challenging, such as when adding up numbers to paying bills.

3. Difficulty doing familiar tasks

A person with dementia may find it difficult to complete tasks they regularly do, such as changing settings on a television, operating a computer, making a cup of tea, or getting to a familiar location. This difficulty with familiar tasks could happen at home or work.

4. Being confused about time or place

Dementia can make it hard to judge the passing of time. People may also forget where they are at any time. They may find it hard to understand events in the future or the past and may struggle with dates.

5. Challenges understanding visual information

Visual information can be challenging for a person with dementia. It can be hard to read, to judge distances, or work out the differences between colours. Someone who usually drives or cycles may start to find these activities challenging.