10 Signs to Help You Spot Dementia Early
June 29, 2022
By: Sonnie Mayewski, MSW, LCSW
Categories: Healthy Living, Neuro
The rate of dementia is on the rise in the United States and Florida.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 6.7 million Americans ages 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2023. That number is expected to increase to 12.7 million by 2050. Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability worldwide.
It can be difficult to differentiate between changes that are common with aging and symptoms that could be cause for concern.
As home to the Big Bend region’s only Memory Disorder Clinic, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) is here to help you understand the difference between potential dementia symptoms and typical age-related behaviors.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is a comprehensive term for a decline in mental ability – including changes to memory, planning and language – that is severe enough to interfere with daily life. There are many forms of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common.
Early Signs of Dementia vs. Typical Aging
While some changes in cognition and memory are a typical part of aging, other symptoms indicate you should talk with your doctor. Here are 10 early signs and symptoms of dementia from the Alzheimer’s Association:
1. Memory Loss That Disrupts Daily Life: Some common early symptoms of dementia are forgetting recently learned information (such as important dates or events), asking the same question repeatedly or relying more on reminder notes, electronic devices or family members for things they used to handle on their own.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Occasionally forgetting names or appointments but remembering them later.
2. Challenges in Planning or Solving Problems: Someone living with dementia may experience challenges with following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Making occasional errors when managing finances or household bills.
3. Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks: This may include challenges in driving to a familiar location, organizing a grocery list or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Occasionally needing help using new technology.
4. Confusion with Time or Place: People living with dementia may experience difficulties with keeping track of dates, seasons and the passage of time.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.
5. Trouble Understanding Visual Images and Spatial Relationships: Some people with dementia experience vision problems, including judging distance and determining color or contrast. This can often cause issues with driving.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Vision changes related to cataracts.
6. New Problems with Words in Speaking or Writing: People living with dementia often have trouble with communication. They may stop in the middle of a conversation, struggle with vocabulary or repeat themselves.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.
7. Misplacing Things and Losing the Ability to Retrace Steps: A person living with dementia may put their belongings in unusual places or lose things and are unable to go back over their steps to find them again. This can present as the individual accusing others of theft.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Misplacing things from time to time and retracing steps to find them.
8. Decreased or Poor Judgment: Individuals may experience changes in judgment or decision-making, including when managing finances. People living with dementia can be particularly vulnerable to scams.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Making a poor decision occasionally, like neglecting to change the oil in the car.
9. Withdrawal from Work or Social Activities: A person living with dementia may withdraw from hobbies and social activities.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Sometimes feeling uninterested in social obligations.
10. Changes in Mood and Personality: Individuals living with dementia may be more easily upset, especially when outside of their comfort zone.
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Typical Age-Related Change: Developing particular ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.
A common factor in all these symptoms is a change from the person’s usual behavior or baseline. For example, if someone has always relied on reminder notes, continuing to do so in their older years is not necessarily indicative of dementia.
Importance of Early Detection
If you’re concerned that you or someone you know is displaying any of these signs, it is essential to take action. Addressing your concerns with a doctor can be frightening but receiving a diagnosis early allows you the opportunity to prioritize your health, plan for the future, access support and explore treatment options. It can also help rule out other reversible causes of symptoms, including vitamin deficiencies, thyroid or hormone issues, poor sleep or even hearing loss.
Approaching a Loved One with Your Concerns
Broaching a conversation about dementia with a loved one you are concerned about can be challenging. Many people with dementia are unaware of the signs they are displaying. It is important to approach the topic with empathy and compassion. One way to start is by asking if they have noticed any changes within themselves and offering to accompany them to see a doctor. There are many conditions that cause memory loss, so it is best to talk about the signs you are noticing instead suggesting they may have dementia.
Where to Get Help
TMH’s Memory Disorder Clinic is funded in part through a grant from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. As a part of the state’s Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative Program, we provide care for patients across the Panhandle and the State of Florida.
Our team of neurologists, neuropsychologists and social workers provide comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, care planning, resource referrals, emotional support and education for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
Our social work team is available to for all community members – not just patients of our clinic. If you have been diagnosed with a memory disorder or you’re caring for a loved one who has, we can help. Reach us at 850-431-5054.
Learn more about the Memory Disorder Clinic at TMH by visit TMH.ORG/Memory.
