For many, the holiday period is a time to connect, reflect and spend time with family, but it may also highlight warning signs of dementia where it may otherwise be unnoticed.
Being able to identify early warning signs in the early stages of dementia can help you determine when it may be appropriate to seek assistance.
We’ve put together a list of signs you may see or hear that may indicate an early diagnosis. Please note, a diagnosis can only be given by a medical professional, so we encourage you to contact a GP or other specialist for further assistance.
Things you can see
Dementia is a degenerative disease and as such, early warning signs of dementia can often display in a lack of coordination or impaired mobility. We encourage you to keep an eye out for the following signs which may be difficult to notice.
- Poor coordination
One common indicator of early-stage dementia is impaired coordination and slower motor function. Examples may include clumsiness or a lack of hand-eye coordination, or misjudging distance, for example placing a cup on a table.
- Impaired judgement
A common sign of early dementia is impaired judgement and decision-making skills which may result in putting themselves in situations of risk or danger, for example leaving the stovetop on and unattended.
- Difficulty performing regular tasks
Struggling with everyday tasks such as tidying, driving or organising is another common early sign of dementia. An easy sign to look for is losing balance frequently or having difficulty tying shoelaces.
- Forgetfulness or misplacing items
While it’s normal to forget where you put something occasionally, if your loved one is misplacing items or placing them in unusual places on a regular basis, it may be an early warning sign of dementia.
- Struggling with personal care
Having difficulty maintaining personal care, having difficulty showering, brushing teeth, or getting dressed, or becoming frustrated with drinking or eating with utensils may be an early warning sign of dementia. Toilet accidents or forgetting how to use the bathroom may also be an indicator.
- Repetitive behaviour
Repeating actions, such as asking the same question over and over again, resorting or organising items repeatedly, and pacing around the house can be an early warning sign. At the Ambridge Rose dementia care facilities, we provide a range of interconnected pathways to help people navigate this behaviour.
Things you can hear
Along with signs you can see, you may also hear the following signs that may indicate a change in cognitive function, which may be an early warning sign of dementia.
- Memory loss
One of the most impactful and distressing symptoms of dementia can be memory loss. Often it can begin with small indicators that your loved one’s memory is beginning to fail, such as having difficulty recalling recent events, conversations or appointments, and progressing to having difficulty recalling key names, relationships or memories in their lives. A common example is forgetting a conversation that happened yesterday.
- Difficulty understanding language
A decline in cognitive function associated with dementia can be apparent in language. Having difficulty comprehending conversations, or understanding what others are saying can be a key warning sign that someone is entering early-stage dementia.
- Difficulty communicating
If your loved one is struggling to express themselves or find the right words to use in conversations, this may indicate an early warning sign for dementia. This can be a distressing situation for you and your loved one as it can create confusion and frustration through misinterpretation.
- Struggling socially and emotionally
A common indicator of someone experiencing the early stages of dementia is noticing drastic changes in their mood or displays of unusual or antisocial behaviour. You may notice frequent or unexpected mood swings, such as your loved one becoming depressed or withdrawn, agitated or anxious. A loss of empathy towards other people can also be a warning sign, as it can be tied to an increased difficultly in understanding the emotions of others.
What should I do if I see these signs?
If you suspect your loved one is in the early stages of dementia, we recommend taking the step to organise a cognitive screening in order to get a formal diagnosis.
An early dementia diagnosis can make a huge difference for your loved one by improving the quality of care they receive, help you actively manage the disease and its cognitive decline, and provide access to resources and support to help you support your loved one.
Once a diagnosis has been given, we encourage you to establish a strategy for providing the best care for your loved one. This may be becoming your loved one’s part-time or full-time carer with respite care support. It may also be introducing a third-party provider to provide specialist dementia care at the appropriate level for your loved one when needed.
At Ambridge Rose, we’re happy to help you navigate this process and our doors are always open to discuss your loved one’s care.
Get in touch or learn more about our respite care, specialist dementia care, rest home care and private hospital care services.