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Here is a list of the 10 warning signs of dementia:

Sign 1: Memory loss that affects day-to-day abilities
Are you, or the person you know, forgetting things often or struggling to retain new information?
It's normal to occasionally forget appointments, colleagues’ names or a friend’s phone number only to remember them a short while later. However, a person living with dementia may forget things more often or may have difficulty recalling information that has recently been learned.

Sign 2: Difficulty performing familiar tasks
Are you, or the person you know, forgetting how to do a typical routine or task, such as preparing a meal or getting dressed?
Busy people can be so distracted from time to time that they may forget to serve part of a meal, only to remember about it later. However, a person living with dementia may have trouble completing tasks that have been familiar to them all their lives, such as preparing a meal or playing a game.

Sign 3: Problems with language
Are you, or the person you know, forgetting words or substituting words that don’t fit into a conversation?
Anyone can have trouble finding the right word to express what they want to say. However, a person living with dementia may forget simple words or may substitute words such that what they are saying is difficult to understand.

Sign 4: Disorientation to time and place
Are you, or the person you know, having problems knowing what day of the week it is or getting lost in a familiar place?
Have you ever forgotten what day of the week it is or can't remember why you went into your bedroom? It happens to all of us. People living with dementia can become lost on their own street, not knowing how they got there or how to get home.

Sign 5: Impaired judgement
Are you, or the person you know, not recognizing something that can put health and safety at risk?
From time to time, people may make questionable decisions such as putting off seeing a doctor when they are not feeling well. However, a person living with dementia may experience changes in judgment or decision-making, such as not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing heavy clothing on a hot day.

Sign 6: Problems with abstract thinking
Are you, or the person you know, having problems understanding what numbers and symbols mean?
From time to time, people may have difficulty with tasks that require abstract thinking, such as using a calculator or balancing a chequebook. However, someone living with dementia may have significant difficulties with such tasks because of a loss of understanding what numbers are and how they are used.

Sign 7: Misplacing things
Are you, or the person you know, putting things in places where they shouldn't be?
Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or keys. However, a person living with dementia may put things in inappropriate places. For example, an iron in the freezer, or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.

Sign 8: Changes in mood and behaviour
Are you, or the person you know, exhibiting severe changes in mood?
Anyone can feel sad or moody from time to time. However, someone living with dementia can show varied mood swings – from calmness to tears to anger – for no apparent reason.

Sign 9: Changes in personality
Are you, or the person you know, behaving in a way that's out of character?
Personalities can change in subtle ways over time. However, a person living with dementia may experience more striking personality changes and can become confused, suspicious or withdrawn. Changes may also include lack of interest or fearfulness.

Sign 10: Loss of initiative
Are you, or the person you know, losing interest in friends, family and favourite activities?
It's normal to tire of housework, business activities or social obligations, but most people regain their initiative. However, a person living with dementia may become passive and disinterested, and require cues and prompting to become involved.
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lauramich Jun 2022
Thank you for this answer.
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My DH, a very savvy IT professional, came close to falling for an internet scam; I happened to read a bit if the "correspondence" over his shoulder, laughed and said "what a commonplace scam THAT is".

He was having none of it and insisted this was a legitimate person he was speaking to. He hadn't been asked for money yet, but it was clear that's where this was going.

I emailed his/our doc the next day, who asked me to have him see a neurologist. I found (through a doctor friend of one of my kids) a cognitive/memory center at a major hospital. They sent questionnaires and STRICT instructions to have any POAs, wills and end of life docs prepared before the first appointment.

This took all the "telling" out of my hands. "Your doctor wants you to be seen at this center". "This doctor says you must have a poa and health care proxy in place".
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Here are some articles that may interest you.

10 Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/alzheimers-disease-dementia-warning-signs-144253.htm
 
The Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/stages-of-alzheimers-disease-118964.htm
 
Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Is Crucial for Effective Planning and Treatment
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/early-diagnosis-of-alzheimers-is-crucial-for-effective-planning-and-treatment-432873.htm
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What do want the person to talk about? Imagine the fear at being told they're losing their memory and thinking they're losing their mind?

A smarter plan would be to make the joint decision to get your affairs in order. Set up a trust, wills, powers of attorney for financial and medical decisions, and be confident that when things go south, you're prepared before your loved one can no longer make legal decisions. (Be sure you have back-ups for your own POAs if you name each other first.)

Just have general conversations if possible about what you'd each like in terms of care at the end of life. Don't force the conversation, but let it evolve naturally.

Don't expect the person to admit to their memory issues or even recognize them -- it's scary for them. Just prepare as best as possible for eventualities.
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Not able to calculate tip at restaurant.

Not able to plan multi-step activities.

Not able to make social plans.

Making excuses for not going places and doing things.

Not being able to play cards and other games like they used to.
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Early signs, I should say very early signs often go unnoticed for years.
the person eventually diagnosed learns of ways to hide the "failings" they are having.
From talking around something to beginning to shut down during conversations or starting to avoid friends they used to enjoy being around.
Each person is different so their "tricks" for covering up are different.
My Husband refused to talk about it and never mentioned it or acknowledged it after his diagnosis.
I have said for years that it is like those pictures you see that when you look at it it seems to be a picture of a countryside or a fish jumping out of the water. But looking closely you see that the picture is actually hundreds of other pictures arranged in a way that they make up another.
Or another comparison I use is...
Dementia is a giant jig-saw puzzle and and it is not until you start putting all the little pieces, those signs, symptoms that you now notice that you see the whole picture.
I have said the purple ribbon the Alzheimer's Association uses really should be a purple puzzle piece much like the multi colored one that Autism uses.

the only way to "know for sure" is a series of exams that can help determine the cognitive function.
Again every one is different and the doctor, hopefully a Neuropsychologist or a Neurologist will ask about education level as well as other background questions and take those into account when administering any cognitive tests.

But gut feeling is ..if you think there is "something wrong" there probably is.
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lauramich Jun 2022
Thank you very much. Your words are helpful.
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Hello
With my mom some of the signs were forgetfulness, asking the same question over and over and over, and lots of confusion and anxiety.
She was starting to wander outside at night right before I moved in to provide her care.
In the evenings she also gets more anxious and confused.

If you are dealing with dementia/Alzheimer’s a great book to read is “The 36-Hour Day”..... it has so much information, it’s very helpful.
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lauramich Jun 2022
Thank you for this info.
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