Physical Changes To Expect
Which symptoms you have and when they appear are different for everyone.
Some people have physical problems before serious memory loss.
In one study, people who walked slowly and had poor balance were more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in the following 6 years.
Some of the changes you might experience are:
Inappropriate Behavior And Loss Of Empathy
If someone who is usually sweet, considerate, and polite starts to say insulting or inappropriate things and shows no awareness of their inappropriateness or concern or regret about what theyve said they could be exhibiting an early sign of dementia. In the early stages of some types of dementia, symptoms can include losing the ability to read social cues and, therefore, the ability to understand why its not acceptable to say hurtful things.
Difficulty Forming The Words To Speak
When people who used to be fluent and could speak smoothly stop being able to produce language that way, this may be a sign of dementia, says Rankin. Despite this symptom, patients are often crystal clear in other areas. They can run a business, manage their family, or draw beautifully, but they have increased difficulty actually forming the words to speak.
Additional reporting by Brian P. Dunleavy.
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Increased Forgetfulness And Inability To Concentrate
Stages two and three often begin with a slight increase in forgetfulness and/or decreased ability to concentrate. These symptoms are often overlooked in the earliest stages since folks of all ages can be prone to absentmindedness during times of stress. In addition to memory challenges, trailing off during conversation or struggling to follow the plot of books or movies are signs that mild cognitive decline may be occurring. While an occasional lapse of memory or moment of confusion is nothing to worry about, repeated instances of these symptoms may be worth further examination by a medical professional.
Warning Signs Of Alzheimer’s
Memory often changes as people grow older. Some people notice changes in themselves before anyone else does. For other people, friends and family are the first to see changes in memory, behavior, or abilities. Memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging. People with one or more of these 10 warning signs should see a doctor to find the cause. Early diagnosis gives them a chance to seek treatment and plan for the future.
1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life: forgetting events, repeating yourself or relying on more aids to help you remember .
2.Challenges in planning or solving problems: having trouble paying bills or cooking recipes you have used for years.
3.Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure: having problems with cooking, driving places, using a cell phone, or shopping.
4.Confusion with time or place: having trouble understanding an event that is happening later, or losing track of dates.
5.Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relations: having more difficulty with balance or judging distance, tripping over things at home, or spilling or dropping things more often.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alzheimers Association have created the Healthy Brain Initiatives State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map.
8. being a victim of a scam, not managing money well, paying less attention to hygiene, or having trouble taking care of a pet.
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Difficulty With Familiar Tasks Or Activities
No matter how familiar you are with a specific task or activity, it can become difficult for you to complete with dementia. This is especially true if the task includes several steps, sequences or rules, like balancing your checkbook. Even activities that you previously enjoyed, like cooking or playing cards, lose your interest because they become too confusing.
Failing To Pick Up On Sarcasm And Spot A Liar
You may or may not appreciate a sarcastic sense of humor, but sarcasm is a part of our culture. “We see it as a nice way to be critical, and so we use it constantly, even when we are trying to be nice,” says Rankin, whose research found that people with both frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease tend to have a harder time picking up on sarcasm.
Another unusual sign of dementia that Rankin noticed? People with FTD couldn’t tell when someone was lying, although people with Alzheimer’s disease could tell. “FTD patients don’t have that sense anymore that things that people do could turn out badly,” she says.
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Disproportionate Impact On Women
Globally, dementia has a disproportionate impact on women. Sixty-five percent of total deaths due to dementia are women, and disability-adjusted life years due to dementia are roughly 60% higher in women than in men. Additionally, women providethe majority of informal care for people living with dementia, accounting for 70% of carer hours.
Withdrawal From Social Activities
As you notice the early signs of dementia and experience its early stages, you may find it increasingly difficult to interact with other people and participate in social activities. As a result, you may begin to withdraw socially to avoid frustration or embarrassment.
Any of the early warning signs of dementia can go unnoticed for a while. It may take time to notice consistent changes related to the behavioral signs. You may notice some of the signs in yourself but chose to conceal them so that others dont notice. However, we encourage you to talk to your doctor as soon as you suspect dementia. Or, you may think you notice some of these signs in a loved one but arent sure. In this case, you can always ask others whether or not they notice the signs before encouraging your loved one to talk to their doctor.
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Difficulty In Calculating Numbers And Handling Money Or Balancing The Cheque Book
Consistent financial problems and money struggles are high on the early signs of dementia checklist. These dementia symptoms include changes in an ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. This could include:
- Spending money more frivolously than usual
- Having difficult following a recipe with measurements
- Being uncharacteristically generous with money
- Struggling to keep track of monthly bills
If youre concerned about your parents ability to handle their finances, read our guide on protecting their legal and financial situation.
This is different to: common age-related issues such as missing a couple of debt repayments due to low income, making occasional errors with number calculations.
How The Body Shuts Down
As your body declines it raises the risk for other health problems.
- Infections may develop as your immune system begins to fail.
- Pneumonia can set in, especially if you inhale food or drinks by accident.
- Injuries from falls are more likely to happen.
Most people with Alzheimer’s disease die from pneumonia, another infection, or a heart attack.
It’s best to have conversations early on about how you’d like to be cared for. These conversations can be hard, but having a plan can make it easier for you and your family.
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Statistics Of Dementia In Men
Approximately 14 percent of Americans 71 years and older have some form of dementia, with the prevalence being slightly higher in women. Sixteen percent of women 71 years and older suffer from dementia, compared to only 11 percent of men. These results were found during the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study .
Researchers and scientist are still unclear why this gender difference exists, but theorize that the longer life expectancies of women may play a factor. Other possible reasons may be hormonal differences between men and women, genetic differences , and even historical differences in education, as in the past, educated women were a rarity and it is known that low education is a risk factor for the development of Alzheimers.
Other Types Of Dementia
Other progressive forms of dementia include frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, and vascular dementiaand it’s also possible to have a combination of dementia types.
Frontotemporal Dementia
With frontotemporal dementia, nerve cells in the parts of the brain involved in behavior, communication, and personality begin to degenerate. Thus, people with this condition typically have symptoms that impact their behavior, reasoning, communication, and/or movement.
Lewy Body Dementia
In Lewy body dementia, wads of protein accumulate in the brain. These proteins can also be found in patients with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. People with this form of dementia might hallucinate, have trouble concentrating, or experience physical coordination and movement difficulties.
Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is second only to Alzheimer’s in its prevalence in people with dementia. It occurs due to problems with the blood vessels that involve the brain. While people with this form of dementia may have difficulty recalling, their most obvious symptoms are likely to be trouble with organization, reasoning, concentration, and thinking quickly.
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Monday 17 September 2018
Dementia is the term given to a group of diseases that affect a persons thinking, behaviour and ability to perform everyday tasks. While its commonly thought of as an older persons disease, dementia can affect people of all ages.
Early symptoms of dementia can be vague and vary between people. While some people pick up on changes in their own thinking or behaviour that might be caused by dementia, sometimes these signs are first noticed by those around them.
If youve noticed a change in someone close to you, the steps below can help you assist them in seeking diagnosis and treatment.
Other Signs To Watch For
- Problems with planning and problem solving. A senior living with dementia might have new difficulty with developing and following a plan. Take note if your loved one struggles with concentration when cooking a familiar recipe or keeping up with monthly bills.
- Being confused about time or place. Memory-impaired people can lose track of the passage of time, forgetting which month, season or even year theyre currently in. They may have trouble placing events firmly within the past or the future and in more advanced stages, they may even seem to regress to the behavior of their teens or twenties.
- Trouble with spatial reasoning. Alzheimers and other forms of dementia dont just affect memory and judgment they can make it hard to interpret visual information. This can lead to difficulty with walking, balance and driving.
- Issues with speaking or writing. Individuals with dementia may find it difficult to enter and follow a conversation. Struggling with vocabulary, reading and writing are also common.
- Social withdrawal. Personality changes and new difficulties with communication can make those living with dementia pull away from hobbies, work or other activities.
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Challenges Performing Everyday Tasks
Difficulty in performing familiar tasks is also one of the early signs of dementia. As a result of the changes brought about by the condition, abstract thinking becomes quite hard.
Moreover, the person with dementia often shows an unusual struggle performing mental tasks.
People with this disease may at many times find it hard to handle regular everyday tasks that they had previously carried out with ease.
For example, organizing events, planning chores or make simple financial transactions like paying bills become more and more challenging due to the significant decline in brain cognition.
Something as simple as brewing a cup of coffee may prove difficult to someone with dementia because it may be troublesome to follow the right steps.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Dementia
Signs and symptoms of dementia result when once-healthy neurons, or nerve cells, in the brain stop working, lose connections with other brain cells, and die. While everyone loses some neurons as they age, people with dementia experience far greater loss.
The symptoms of dementia can vary and may include:
- Experiencing memory loss, poor judgment, and confusion
- Difficulty speaking, understanding and expressing thoughts, or reading and writing
- Wandering and getting lost in a familiar neighborhood
- Trouble handling money responsibly and paying bills
- Repeating questions
- Not caring about other peoples feelings
- Losing balance and problems with movement
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities can also develop dementia as they age, and recognizing their symptoms can be particularly difficult. Its important to consider a persons current abilities and to monitor for changes over time that could signal dementia.
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Ruling Out Other Possible Causes
While changes in memory and relationships can serve as early signs of dementia, other times they may indicate mild or reversible health conditions.
Because other medical conditions can mimic dementia, it’s important to see a doctor and get evaluated if you or someone you love starts noticing signs of forgetfulness or confusion. These types of “reversible dementias” include sleep apnea, infections such as encephalitis and meningitis, tumors, hypothyroidism, and medication side effects.11
Research also suggests that some chronic medical conditions might elevate your risk of developing dementia. For example, people with diabetes who have chronically high blood sugar levels are at increased risk for developing signs of dementia.12
Diabetes is also one of 12 modifiable factors in a report issued by the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention that is shown to increase the risk of dementia. The other 11 risk factors are:13
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Traumatic brain injury
In fact, those modifiable risk factors may be the best place to start. “If someone is 35 or 85, if they are having memory loss, looking for treatable causes is really important because it could be a modifiable cause,” said Dr. Billars.
How Dementia Affects Judgement
In the brain of someone with Alzheimers or another form of dementia, loose proteins collect, break down and clump together, blocking neural pathways and damaging tissues. This can lead to a number of behavioral changes notably, a reduced capacity for judgment and decision-making. Per the Alzheimers Association, two common examples of this reduced capacity are mistakes made when handling money and new problems with personal hygiene.
Is poor judgment or indecision a sign of dementia? Not necessarily. Making a mistake from time to time like forgetting to change the oil in your car is a normal side effect of getting older. But if you notice a major change in risk assessment or an increased difficulty in making everyday decisions like what to wear, where to go and when, etc. you may have real cause for concern.
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What Are 10 Early Signs Of Dementia
Dementia affects people differently. Likewise, the beginning symptoms of dementia may vary from person to person. But there are common early warning signs to watch for. Looking for patterns of these behaviors may help you identify signs your parent may have dementia.
Your loved one should see a doctor if you notice any of the following 10 signs of dementia, according to the CDC. The doctor may run tests to determine what is causing your family members symptoms.
Changes In Behaviour Judgement And Moods
Becoming quiet, withdrawn or restless or frustrated or angry can be early signs of dementia. Someone may develop repetitive behaviour for example, they ask the same question over and over again, do the same thing repeatedly or make multiple phone calls to the same person. They may become insecure and anxious or start hiding and losing items. They may withdraw from social activities or give up hobbies and interests they have enjoyed.
They may show poor judgement, for example putting summer clothes on in cold winter months, not knowing when a kettle is full or overfilling cups when making cold and hot drinks, putting a kettle on the hob or leaving a cooker on or tap running. Someone with dementia may become very emotional and experience rapid mood swings or become quieter and less emotional than usual.
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Signs Of Dementia Where To Find Help
When your loved one is displaying troubling symptoms, a trip to a primary care physician is often the first step. But to get a definitive diagnosis, youll need to see a specialist such as a neurologist, geriatrician or geriatric psychiatrist.
If you cant find one, the National Institute on Aging recommends contacting the neurology department of a nearby medical school. Some hospitals also have clinics that focus on dementia.
Ailments can mimic dementia
Vitamin deficiencies
Specialists will want to know about the patients personal and family medical history. A close relative or relatives having had Alzheimers is a major risk factor.
Recent research suggests that a prevalence among even members of your extended family can increase your dementia risk. Doctors also will conduct physical and neurological exams to rule out other treatable causes for dementia symptoms.
Some of the methods that doctors use to diagnose dementia:
Cognitive and neuropsychological tests assess language and math skills, memory, problem-solving and other types of mental functioning.
Lab tests of blood and other fluids, including checking levels of various chemicals, hormones and vitamins, can help rule out nondementia causes for the symptoms.
Brain scans such as CT, MRI or PET imaging can spot changes in brain structure and function. These tests also can identify strokes, tumors and other problems that can cause dementia.
More on Dementia
Are Early Signs Of Dementia Obvious
Changes in a person in the early stages of dementia can be so gradual they can often be mistaken for normal ageing. Because dementia affects people in different ways, symptoms may not always be obvious. In fact, failure to recognise early signs often leads to people not being diagnosed for several years.
So what to look for? Perhaps someone you care for is struggling to remember what they did yesterday and forgets the names of friends or everyday objects. They may have difficulty following conversations or TV programmes, repeat things over and over, or have problems thinking or reasoning. They may feel angry, anxious or depressed about memory loss or feel confused even in a familiar environment.
The healthtalk website presents a range of carers experiences of identifying the early signs of dementia. One carer put it this way.
The first stage is not recognisable I think, or certainly wasnt recognisable as far as I was concerned initially . I was certainly not understanding… the fact that my wife was at the beginning of a serious problem, a serious mental health problem. Because I was with my wife continuously, I think I was less likely to recognise some of the changes that were taking place than people who saw her less regularly.
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