When we think about dementia, we often associate it with memory loss. While difficulty remembering events, words, or where an item can be found are common signs of dementia, there are several other warning signs to watch for. Home Care Assistance understands that spotting the signs of dementia early enables you to establish strong support systems to safeguard your loved ones. Therefore, we have compiled this blog on the warning signs of dementia that are not solely memory loss.
Warning Sign 1: Changes in Mood, Personality, or Behaviour
As a person’s cognitive skills change with the development of dementia, they may no longer enjoy activities they previously relished, as these activities suddenly become more difficult. This can lead to not only a decrease in participation in these activities due to no longer enjoying them, but also increased isolation and depression. This presents itself as changes in behaviour and mood that seemingly come out of nowhere. But it is related to early changes in cognitive function.
For instance, say your loved one was an avid Bridge or Poker player, a change in their cognition may mean that keeping up with the game becomes more difficult, so they can no longer enjoy playing. Not only do they not engage in the activity, but they also miss out on the social interaction that goes along with the game, causing isolation and depression.
Warning Sign 2: Difficulty Concentrating, Planning, or Following Instructions
Focusing, planning, and following instructions all involve higher-order executive cognitive functions. You may notice that your loved one struggles to follow multi-step directions early in the dementia process. For instance, if you ask them to put the toast in the toaster, they can usually do that easily. However, if you ask them to put the toast in the toaster, turn on the kettle, and get the milk out of the fridge, they might get as far as placing the toast or even turning on the kettle, but forget to fetch the milk. More complex tasks with several steps that require higher-level thinking become too difficult in the early stages of dementia.
Warning Sign 3: Confusion about Place and Time
We all forget what day of the week it is from time to time. However, for most of us, these are momentary confusions that are quickly rectified. However, for a person with early-stage dementia, confusing what day or time it is can be a regular occurrence, leading to missed appointments and other difficulties. They may even have trouble remembering where they are or how they arrived at a particular location. It is common to see people with early-stage dementia be very detailed in the information they put into their calendar to help them remember where they need to be and when.
Warning Sign 4: Getting Easily Lost
Some of us have a better sense of direction than others, but if your loved one starts getting lost in areas they know well, this can be a sign of early dementia. While it may initially appear as increased difficulty navigating unfamiliar places, it often becomes clearer when they struggle to find their way in familiar areas.
Warning Sign 5: Poor Sleep Habits
People with dementia frequently experience poorer sleep. There are discussions about whether declining cognitive function causes worse sleep or if poor sleep contributes to cognitive decline. Either way, poor sleep is not a positive sign for cognitive health. Good sleep routines support cognitive function and many other aspects of health, such as cardiovascular and mental wellbeing.
Warning Sign 6: Spatial Disorientation
People with dementia can also experience changes in their vision that affect their depth perception, causing difficulty reading, driving, trouble following objects and judging distances.
Furthermore, there is a condition called posterior cortical atrophy (PCA)[1] associated with Alzheimer’s disease. PCA results in the loss of brain cells at the back of the brain, leading to difficulties with vision, spelling, writing, and arithmetic. It can affect people in their 50s and 60s. PCA influences how the brain interprets signals and can cause problems such as perceiving objects as moving when they are still, difficulty judging distance or speed, trouble with dressing or undressing, and difficulty reaching out and picking something up.
Warning Sign 7: Poor Judgement
A person with early-stage dementia may start showing a pattern of poor decision-making. This might begin with seemingly small choices, such as not dressing properly for the weather or neglecting to shower. Over time, it can lead to more serious decisions, like making poor financial choices, not recognising when medical help is needed, or leaving the stove on. If your loved one makes what seems to be a ‘one-off’ error in judgement, it’s important to check that it truly is an isolated incident and not part of a pattern indicating the start of dementia that could cause harm.
Warning Sign 8: Loss of Smell and Taste Over Time
A loss of sense of smell is something we often associate with COVID-19 these days, but it can be a sign of dementia. It is not uncommon for dementia to change the way a person experiences the flavour of food by affecting their sense of taste and smell over time.[2] This may alter the foods that your loved one prefers to eat from their previous favourites.
These warning signs can help you recognise the early indications of dementia so you can organise support to keep your loved one safe. However, many of these warning signs can be caused by other factors, so it’s important to have your loved one assessed if you’re worried they might have dementia. Usually, a good starting point is to make an appointment with their general practitioner.
If they do have dementia, remember, you do not have to travel this path alone. Home Care Assistance can provide support when you need it to help you and your loved one along this journey.
Support at home from a specialist provider, such as Home Care Assistance, can bring enormous benefits and comfort to your quality of life while living independently at home. Home Care Assistance offers viable solutions for supporting independent living. For more information, get in touch with a Home Care Assistance near me today.
[1] https://www.dementia.org.au/about-dementia/posterior-cortical-atrophy-pca
[2] https://www.dementia.org.au/living-dementia/home-life/eating-and-dementia
