5 Early Signs and Symptoms of Dementia Caregivers Should Be Aware Of

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, over six million American adults have some form of dementia today.

If you’re a caregiver for an older adult, you might be worried about this issue. This guide will discuss some of the early signs and symptoms of dementia to look for. Keep reading to learn what they are.

1. Struggling With Daily Tasks

What are the signs and symptoms of dementia? One of the most common signs is struggling with day-to-day tasks.

Everyone struggles to keep up with things from time to time, but people with dementia find it increasingly difficult to do what they once did. Your loved one may start having trouble keeping up to date with their finances.

They might also start to have a hard time concentrating on daily tasks. You might find that they’re taking longer to finish tasks that usually take less time to complete.

2. Language Issues

Some other early signs of dementia include language issues. You might struggle to find the right words in conversation from time to time, but someone with dementia can forget simple words.

Another thing that dementia patients do is substitute words into a sentence that doesn’t make sense. This can make it difficult to understand what they’re trying to communicate.

3. Short-Term Memory Loss

Signs of early-onset dementia also include short-term memory loss. While this might seem like an obvious sign, not all memory problems are linked to dementia.

Your loved one will be easily able to remember events that took place in their life years ago, but they’ll struggle to remember what they did earlier in the day.

Your loved one might also struggle to remember what they planned to do later in the day. Another short-term memory problem is forgetting how and when they arrived at a specific location.

4. Repetition Is Common

Early signs and symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease also manifest as repetition. Since your loved one is having trouble remembering recent events, they’ll likely ask the same questions about things over and over again.

They might also repeat the same story about a recent event a few times. This is typically a sign of mild or moderate dementia or Alzheimer’s.

5. Misplacing Items

If your loved one is misplacing items often, they might be developing dementia. This isn’t like misplacing your keys or wallet from time to time.

Adults with dementia tend to misplace things because they put them where they shouldn’t be. You might notice your loved one putting their keys in the refrigerator or their watch in the freezer.

Now that you know the signs of dementia, you should know some tips for onset dementia. These can help you when providing care for a senior living with this condition.

Early Signs and Symptoms of Dementia to Look Out For

If you’re worried about your loved one developing dementia, there are some early signs and symptoms of dementia you should look out for. These include misplacing items or repeating stories.

Check out some of our other health blogs to learn more about what you can do to help the senior care new jersey.