An old woman staring at a burning candle | Photo by Kindel Media
Detection of early signs of dementia in loved ones can help provide early treatment, planning, and support from the family.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are not easy to accept, especially when the signs and symptoms happen early in a loved one’s lifetime. However, detecting early signs of dementia in loved ones may also help the family in preparing for the future and its treatments for the affected member. It is also essential for the family to strengthen their support for the affected loved one, as its effects can linger.
Warren A. Patton’s Dementia Help Guide – Vol. 1: What is Dementia and its affect on the mind? is a dementia help guide for loved ones. The guidebook is based on the author’s experience of taking care of loved ones affected by dementia. Warren Patton does not claim to be an expert in this matter, but he shares an insight into how dementia affected his family. This book helps the readers understand dementia in a layman’s way, providing them with information they might not understand in science or medical books.
What are the Early Signs of Dementia?
Dementia is a group of symptoms that affect the individual’s cognitive functions. It is a general term for memory loss, language dysfunction, severe problem-solving disability, and many others. This condition is caused by the damage or loss of nerve cells and their connections in the brain. It has different effects on certain individuals, appearing in their mid-60s or later. However, early dementia symptoms may also affect people in their 30s, though very rare.
Memory Loss
One of the most common early signs of dementia in loved ones is the loss of memory, which disrupts daily life. An affected person may keep forgetting recently learned information. Other symptoms include:
- Forgetting significant dates or events.
- Asking a question over and over again.
- Increasingly relying on memory aids like reminder notes to function.
Occasional Errors in Solving Problems
Making mistakes when solving problems is normal in a person’s daily life. However, it becomes one of the early signs of dementia in loved ones if the errors are occasional, especially when solutions have just been learned. For example, a person may make a mistake in completing a familiar recipe or keeping track of the monthly bills. A person with this sign may have difficulty concentrating because of losing the information or memory of the task that was previously completed.
Difficulty Completing a Routine
Every day, we tend to do things that become a routine, such as watching TV, doing the dishes, or preparing breakfast. When a loved one shows early signs of dementia, one of the noticeable symptom is showing difficulty in completing routines. A loved one may keep on asking on how to operate devices, such as the microwave or the TV remote despite learning it from the previous encounters.
Problems with Speaking or Writing
One of the early dementia symptoms in affected individuals is the loss of the ability to write or speak. These individuals may struggle to form sentences mid-conversation, prompting them to repeat themselves. A long pause may also ensue as a difficulty in ideating past experiences or the correct name of an object will show.
Warren A. Patton’s Dementia Help Guide – Vol. 1 can help readers assist people displaying early signs of dementia. The book has tips in handling patients with progressing symptoms.
Difficulty in Retracing Steps
If you notice that a loved one keeps on misplacing things and experiencing a difficulty in retracing steps, they can be showing early signs of dementia. A person with dementia may misplace an object, placing them in unusual places, and forgetting where they put the object. With this, the person may accuse other people of stealing.
An old man holding on to his head as if he tries to remember something| photo by Kindel Media
Withdrawal from a Hobby and Other Engagements
As early signs of dementia in loved ones progresses, an affected person may find it difficult to follow a conversation. The person may easily withdraw from conversations that used to enthuse them. They may also be observed to withdraw from hobbies and social activities. A sudden disinterest in family obligations and family gatherings may also show.
Mood Swings
Early signs of dementia include the sudden change in an affected individual’s mood and personality. Most of the changes in mood are negative ones, letting them show confusion, depression, fear, anxiety, and suspiciousness about the things around them, even around family or friends.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Dementia can cause many problems for an affected person and their loved ones. As memory slowly deteriorates, difficulties in functioning every day increase. Early signs of dementia in loved ones include:
- Memory loss.
- Occasional errors in solving problems.
- Difficulty completing a routine.
- Problems with speaking or writing.
- Difficulty retracing steps.
- Withdrawal from a hobby and other engagements.
- Mood swings.
Support from the family is needed to keep the patients feeling loved, surrounded, and supported.
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