The Earliest Signs of Dementia

One of the symptoms of aging is memory loss, which begs the question: is what my loved one experiencing a natural effect of growing old or an early symptom of dementia? Sunshine Home Health Aide Org., Inc. is a home care company in La Mesa, California that prides itself on having exceptional memory care providers. We see to it that individuals with dementia are given the best possible means to cope with their disease and live their life to the fullest.

Are the behaviors that your loved one is exhibiting a normal part of the aging process or the start of cognitive decline? Let’s analyze these 7 early signs of dementia:

1. Vision troubles

   For some people, vision problems mark the earliest phase of cognitive decline. Seniors with dementia may start to have issues telling apart colors or reading words. These problems may also lead to bad driving as your loved one can no longer judge distances properly and accurately.

2. Poor judgment

   Something has to be wrong when your loved one who used to be such a good decision maker has suddenly lost his or her ability to make the appropriate judgment calls in social situations. You may even find them asking strangers for weird things during the most inopportune times.

3. Forgetting names and faces

   At first, we chalk up forgetfulness as a sign of old age. However, when your loved one starts forgetting or mixing up names and faces more frequently, then a more serious health issue is definitely in the works. One of the worst things about dementia is that it can cause people to forget friends and family they’ve known their whole lives.

4. Loss of focus

   Seniors with dementia can find it incredibly hard to focus on whatever they’re doing. They may begin a task without finishing it or mess things up entirely. Because of this, tasks like cooking or running errands can be dangerous.

5. Displaying strange behavior

   People not acting like their usual selves can be attributed to dementia. When you observe abrupt changes in your loved one’s personality, this is because dementia is already affecting their way of thinking and ability to make the right decisions.

6. Bad driving

   Most of the issues discussed so far point to one thing — no more driving. You can detect the earliest signs of dementia from watching a person behind the wheel. Are they still able to focus on the road and where they’re driving? Do they still practice safe driving? These seemingly little things can be telling as to where they’re at cognitively.

7. Writing and speaking issues

   A loved one with dementia can have a hard time expressing how he or she feels, verbally or through writing. You’ll see them being unable to keep up with you during a conversation or sometimes stopping in the middle with no idea how to continue.

If you’re looking to partner with a Home Care Agency in California that provides top quality memory care, don’t hesitate to visit Sunshine Home Health Aide Org., Inc.

What other early signs of dementia should we be aware of? Please tell us in the comments.