Early Indicators of Dementia or Symptoms of Dementia

1.Memory Loss That Disrupts Daily Life: Forgetting recently learned information, important dates, or asking for the same information repeatedly. ​2.Challenges in Planning or Problem Solving: Difficulty following a familiar recipe, keeping track of monthly bills, or focusing on tasks that require sequential steps. ​3.Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks: Getting lost while driving to a grocery store you’ve visited for years or forgetting the rules of a favorite game. ​4.Confusion with Time or Place: Losing track of dates, seasons, or the passage of time. Someone may forget where they are or how they got there. ​5.Trouble Understanding Visual Images: Difficulty judging distance, determining color or contrast, or reading, which may lead to issues with balance or driving. ​6.New Problems with Words: Struggling to join a conversation, stopping in the middle of a sentence with no idea how to continue, or calling things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a "watch" a "hand-clock"). ​7.Misplacing Things: Putting items in unusual places (like a phone in the freezer) and losing the ability to retrace steps to find them. ​8.Decreased or Poor Judgment: Making poor financial decisions or paying less attention to grooming and hygiene. ​9.Withdrawal from Work or Social Activities: Avoiding hobbies, social engagements, or projects because of the changes they are experiencing. ​10.Changes in Mood or Personality: Becoming confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious. They may be easily upset at home or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.

DEMENTIA