Warning Signs of Dementia, pt. 2

Continuing with part 2 on our series discussing signs of dementia…

According to 2023 figures from the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 6.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. This accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases, though many experts say that number is probably higher. Globally, dementia is the seventh leading cause of death, according to World Health Organization estimates.

If it is dementia, it is likely degenerative. The earlier the prognosis, and your understanding of exhibited traits, the better for you and family. You’ll want to plan how to manage care or pursue treatment, especially as the condition progresses.

Additional tips to watch for:

6. Confusion about time and place. If someone forgets where they are or can’t remember how they got there, that’s a red flag. Another worrisome sign is disorientation about time — for example, routinely forgetting what day of the week it is. Granted, many elders do not need to know days of the week…many times, days are all similar. But give them a reference to hold in memory.

7. Misplacing things. Elders with dementia may put things in unusual places and may have difficulty retracing their steps to find misplaced items. We’ve heard stories about cell phones being placed in refridgerators.

8. Troubling behavior. Pay attention if your family member seems to have increasingly poor judgment when handling money, or neglects grooming and cleanliness.

9. Loss of interest, or apathy. Not feeling especially social from time to time is one thing. But a sudden and routine loss of interest in family, friends, work and social events is a warning sign of dementia. A 2023 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that apathy may even be a sign that someone is progressing from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) — symptoms of memory loss or thinking problems that are not as severe as dementia — to Alzheimer’s disease. People with MCI are at an increased risk of developing dementia.

10. Forgetting old memories. Memory loss that becomes more persistent is often one of the first signs of dementia.

Pay attention as your elderly parents age. They may be showing signs that homecare assistance is needed.

JD Miller

About JD Miller

John D. Miller is the founder/owner of Home Care Partners, LLC, a Massachusetts business providing private duty, personalized in-home assistance and companion care services to those needing help in daily activities and household functions. Phone: (781) 378-2164 Email: [email protected] Website: https://homecarepartnersma.com
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