Early warning signs of dementia

There are approximately 50 million people worldwide living with dementia. This number is expected to triple by 2050. Because dementia affects so many people, it’s crucial that you learn the early warning signs of dementia. The sooner you get your loved one diagnosed, the sooner you can seek specialised care. This will help them to live a happier and more peaceful life. Here are some important signs to look out for.

 What Is dementia?
The term dementia is a word that describes the deterioration of mental processes. It negatively affects a person’s memory, cognitive thinking, behaviour, and ability to do daily tasks. It’s not a normal part of ageing, although it affects older people primarily.

Signs and symptoms
Look for these dementia symptoms in your elderly loved ones. With vigilant care, you can catch and diagnose them early.

Memory loss: It’s one thing to forget things occasionally. If you’re stressed or very busy, then you may find yourself to be forgetful. This is not dementia. Those suffering from dementia struggle to recall newly acquired information. They’ll rely on friends and family to keep track of this information.

Poor decision making: Those with dementia struggle with decisions about what is fair or reasonable. This results in them paying significantly too much for products or services. They may also buy items that they have no use for. You may also see this manifest in their personal grooming habits. Those with dementia tend to pay less attention to how clean or presentable they are.

Regular confusion: Someone with dementia will regularly forget where they are. This can combine with struggling to judge the passage of time. You’ll find them struggling to understand future and past events. When speaking, you may find them speaking about long-ago events as if they are current. Or they may become confused about the current time and date.

Unable to follow a plan: Someone with dementia may struggle to follow a recipe or driving directions. They will become confused or lose track of the current step they are performing. This confusion can happen during the simplest of tasks or plans. Perhaps they struggle to operate their computer, adjust the television settings, drive to a familiar location, or make a cup of coffee.

Care and treatment
If someone you care about shows these signs, it may be time to seek additional care. Currently, there’s no treatment or cure for this progressive disease. Early diagnosis is critical for managing the condition and promoting a healthy lifestyle. There are organisations like this company that can provide a supportive and safe place to live. Your loved one will enjoy independent living with the option of more assisted living care. They can also enjoy additional memory care that’s geared towards those who live with dementia. With the right care in place, they can live a happy and fulfilling life.