Seven Early Signs Of Dementia That Everyone Should Know About

Dementia is a progressive disease in which the patient slowly loses his cognitive functions. This means that the early signs of dementia begin much before the disease becomes severe.

Failure of cognitive functions often affects memory, the ability to concentrate and the ability to solve problems.

It is normal for cognitive functions to decline as you get older. However, it is not normal to experience it at such a high level as it is seen in dementia.

According to the Knowledge Center for Dementia, around 87,000 people in Denmark suffer from dementia. Every year, 7,700 new cases are diagnosed. The disease is incredibly disabling, and dementia patients often cannot cope without help.

Although there are now a number of different strategies for better managing dementia, the disease continues to be overwhelming for both patients, nurses and relatives.

Unfortunately, the precursors to dementia are easily overlooked. Many people do not know what the symptoms look like in the beginning and how it develops.

It is important to detect the symptoms as early as possible. Therefore, here are seven signs that are often seen in the early stages of dementia:

1. Difficult to find the words

One of the earliest signs of dementia is difficulty in finding the right words to express one’s thoughts.

People with dementia often struggle to try to think of a particular word – even words they often use.

The same symptom can also manifest itself in other ways – the person may, for example, have difficulty following a TV series because it takes them so long to remember the meaning of the words.

They may also have difficulty writing.

2. Time confusion – one of the early signs of dementia

If one of your loved ones has dementia, then you know for sure how difficult it can be for them to remember the difference between past, present and future.

If an acquaintance can not remember if something, for example, happened yesterday or five years ago, then there is cause for concern.

3. Dementia causes difficulty remembering

Many of us often make fun of the fact that our short-term memory is not so good when, for example, we get up to go out into the kitchen and then totally forget what it was we were going to do there. It is normal to experience something like this once in a while.

But if you really have a hard time keeping track of what you just did and what to do next, it could be an early sign of dementia.

If a person is unable to remember important events or things that happened just hours or days before, it indicates that something is wrong with their brain function.

4. Mood swings

One of the early signs of dementia that is often overlooked is anger, irritability and mood swings. Early dementia often manifests itself by the patient being very temperamental and quickly becoming angry or aggressive.

They may also become more nervous and insecure, especially about things that should otherwise be routine, such as gatherings, visits, or shopping.

Problems performing daily tasks

Another major symptom of dementia is difficulty in performing many of their regular or daily tasks.

It can be difficult to keep up with the work, and even the household can start to seem unmanageable.

Dementia can also create other problems that go beyond the ability to perform daily tasks. For example, it is normal for the person to lack perspective and boundaries. For example, they may find themselves talking about things that are very private or personal.

They may also have unrealistic notions about their own skills, wealth, or influence.

Drowsiness is a sign of dementia

One of the early signs of dementia, which can seem very innocent, is fatigue or a lower activity level than usual. This can be expressed, for example, by the person being distracted during a conversation, forgetting to listen, or just being less active and less spontaneous than usual.

They quickly lose motivation, and generally seem less engaged than they used to do. They are less likely to start a conversation or keep a conversation straight.

Decreased interest in things they usually went up in

Decreased interest is a symptom of many different disorders, such as depression and PTSD. But it can also be due to dementia.

In its early stages, dementia can manifest itself in the form of a lack of interest in, for example, family life, hobbies or anything else that the person previously found important.

If you think one of your loved ones is developing dementia, do not be afraid to go to the doctor with your concerns.

Do you know anyone who shows early signs of dementia?