Signs That Your Loved Ones Have Dementia

(Summary: Here are the symptoms to look for in your elder loved ones to find out if they have dementia.)

Dementia is a mental illness which comes with symptoms like memory disorders, decreased cognitive abilities, personality changes and impaired reasoning. It is one of the most common diseases among seniors. According to one report, 5.7 million Americans have dementia and 5.5 million of them are ages 65 and older.

How can you tell if your elder loved one has dementia? Taking note of the following symptoms can help you determine whether to see a doctor.

Having Trouble with Memory:

Memory lapses are a telltale sign of dementia. While memory diminishes with age, observing your elder loved ones struggling with memory is a serious concern.

For example, an aging elder person may be able to remember something that happened decades ago but not what they had for dinner. Other signs of a senior’s diminished memory from dementia are forgetting where they left things, asking for the same information over and over, relying on reminder notes, not having an idea when they entered a room or forgetting their routine activities.

Not Being Able to Communicate Clearly:

Dementia also takes a toll on a person’s ability to communicate clearly. The disease effects the parts of the brain that is responsible for language.

Many dementia patients find it difficult to explain something or are unable to express themselves. This is because they struggle to find the right words. They may also use substitutes for words. For example, they may use “periodical book” for “newspaper” or “thing to sit on” for chair. Some patients manage to speak fluently but without any meaning or structure to theor sentences.

Mood Swings:

People with dementia also experience mood swings, suddenly transitioning between emotions for no identifiable reason. Or, alternatively, they can be less emotional than they were before. The mood change also comes with a shift in personality. For example, they can turn from extroverted to shy.

Not Being Able to Perform Familiar Tasks:

A dementia patient often finds it difficult to perform routine tasks like putting on clothes, cooking or bathing. Sometimes, they may not carry the activities out in an appropriate sequence, like putting socks on before shoes.

Along with the struggle to complete familiar tasks, they may struggle to learn how to do new things or follow new routines.

Having Confusion:

Dementia causes memory loss and progressive damage to brain cells. This leads an effected person to confusion. With memory lapses, poor judgment skills and a diminishing ability to think, they are not able to remember faces, use the right words or interact with people.

They may misplace their house keys, struggle to find what comes next in a day, or lose track of time. Sometimes, they can even get lost in familiar settings.

Not Being Able to Understand Visual Images or color Contrast:

Dementia also effects a person’s ability to judge and see as well. They may have trouble with reading, judging distance or identifying color or contrast.

Repeating the Tasks Several Times a Day:

Dementia patients are likely to repeat tasks due to poor memory. For example, they may shave several times a day.

There are just some of the signs that your elder loved ones may have dementia. However, these symptoms may be associated with other diseases like strokes, depression, brain tumors, and hormonal disorders. Always consult your healthcare providers to find out if it the symptoms relate to dementia or other diseases.

If you have any questions, please let us know by commenting below.