Dementia is a medical term used for a decline in mental ability or cognitive functions which is severe enough to interfere with daily life and activities. Among major symptoms, memory loss is significant. Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are the most common types of dementia. Home Care Kennebunk practitioners recommend that family caregivers immediately seek medical assistance if they find any of the symptoms listed below.
Symptoms of Dementia in Aging Adults
Only memory issues cannot be concluded as dementia. However, your loved one must possess any two symptoms which considerably interfere with their daily life to get a dementia diagnosis. In addition to memory impairment, they may also combat language, focus, communication, judgment, and reasoning challenges.
1. Short Term Memory Loss
Troubling memory is a major symptom of early dementia. The changes are subtle and often tend to involve short-term memory. Seniors may be able to recall older incidents but not what happened 10 minutes ago or what they had for breakfast.
Short-term memory also marks forgetting where they kept an item, what they had to do at any given time or day, and why they entered a specific room.
2. Communication Problems
Elderly patients with dementia may struggle to articulate their views and thoughts. They may have problems forming whole statements or finding the appropriate words. They may also engage in self-repetition or speak in a hazy manner, both of which make it challenging for others to comprehend what it is that they are attempting to convey.
3. Difficulty Accomplishing Normal Tasks
Dementia patients reach a point where they are unable to carry out the routine activities of daily living that they were formerly capable of. Typically, it begins with confronting obstacles associated with accomplishing more difficult tasks, like balancing a checkbook or playing games with many rules. In addition, individuals may have difficulty performing even basic tasks, learning new things, and adhering to new schedules.
4. Confusion
Seniors may become confused in the early stages of dementia. Confusion may increase when trying to remember, think, or make judgments as they no longer recognize faces or objects, normally interact with people, and find the correct words to communicate and share thoughts.
Confusion can occur during various situations and for a number of reasons. For example, seniors with dementia may misplace their keys and have difficulty recognizing someone's face or what they planned to do the next day.
5. Difficulty Following Storylines
Difficulty following storylines is the classic symptom of early dementia. Just like difficulty in finding the right words to converse, they sometimes forget the meanings of the terms they hear and find following along with TV shows or conversations challenging.
6. Repetition
Being repetitive is a common symptom of early dementia because general behavioral changes and memory loss make them forget if they have done something, and they assume that they haven't don't it yet and do it again. Seniors with this symptom of dementia may repeat typical tasks like shaving, brushing their teeth, collecting items obsessively, or even eating a meal again. They repeat the same question several times, even if it is answered during a conversation.
7. Changes in Sleep Patterns
Some older people with dementia report irregular sleep habits. It's possible that they have problems going asleep or staying asleep or that they sleep more than they normally would. These shifts can be upsetting for the elderly person and the family caregiver who assists them, and they may need alterations to the older person's daily routine.
8. Mood and Character Modifications
Dementia can cause emotional and behavioral abnormalities in seniors. It's possible they'll get crankier, worried, and agitated. In addition to this, they may become more reclusive or unhappy. It can be difficult for family caregivers to cope with these shifts in mood and personality, and it may be beneficial to seek support from a healthcare provider or a counselor during this time.
If your aging loved one shows any two or more symptoms of dementia, seek medical assistance immediately or consider reaching out to a reputable Kennebunk Home Care provider to help your loved one stave off cognitive decline and progress a good quality of life in the golden years.
