Symptoms of dementia are often mistaken as processes which occur as one ages. According to UCSF, "half of the people 85 or older may have some form of dementia”. Although memory loss is associated with aging, dementia is not. The National Institute of Health states that “signs and symptoms of dementia result when once-healthy neurons (nerve cells) in the brain stop working, lose connections with other brain cells, and die. While everyone loses some neurons as they age, people with dementia experience faster and greater loss”. Here are some of the symptoms of dementia so you can assess whether you or a loved one are showing signs:

 

• Memory Problems: Short-term memory problems are usually the first signs of dementia. Memory loss due to dementia is far greater than normal memory loss that occurs due to aging. This type of memory loss affects your day to day activities, such as forgetting how to cut vegetables.

• Mood Changes: Anger and sadness occur quite often.

• Personality Changes: Person may become a bit more withdrawn and reserved.

• Depression: Due to the lack of social and creative engagement.

• Anxiety: Most of the time, the person with dementia notices something wrong but is nervous to seek medical attention. As the symptoms of dementia progress, the person may get anxious at the development of the symptoms.

• Difficulties with Communication: Memory loss due to dementia extends to language as well at a later stage. Communication with family members will become difficult due to the person’s inability to speak and comprehend.

• Difficulties with Planning: Due to memory loss, the person may not be able to make and keep track of plans.

• Difficulties with Organization: Memory loss can contribute to the person not being able to sort out and organize things.

• Difficulties with Navigation: The person’s sense of navigation gets lost, and they will have difficulty locating familiar places such as their bathroom or bedroom.

• Confusion: Gaps in memory lead to confusion, which affects decision making.

• Difficulty Problem-Solving: Neurons are not adapting to new situations, so there is no creativity to solve problems.

 

References:

• https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-dementia  

• https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/dementia  

• https://memory.ucsf.edu/dementia-overview

• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352013