Early Signs of Dementia That May Surprise You

If there is an elderly loved one in your life, you most likely always have their health and safety in mind. You likely have an especially keen eye on their memory, keeping watch for early signs of dementia.

With research and advances in medical science, we are learning more about the brain and cognitive function every day, along with potential treatments to prevent or slow the progression of diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s. Watching for early symptoms of dementia can help catch the disease in the early stage where treatments can be the most beneficial. 

What Are the Early Signs of Dementia?

Memory loss and behavior changes are the symptoms that most readily come to mind when you think about early signs of dementia in the elderly. But there are some other early signs of dementia that may surprise you. 

• Difficulty with visual and spatial relationships. This is a fancy way of saying changes in vision could be an early warning sign of dementia. It can also lead to balance problems and increased risk of falls, something not often connected to dementia. 
• Mood and personality changes. Early dementia personality changes can include things like anger and paranoia. A lesser known personality change that can occur with dementia is the inability to recognize sarcasm or lies. If your usually sweet and kind parent begins saying strange, inappropriate, or hurtful things, this could also be an early sign of dementia. 
• Staring. Typically when we talk to someone we notice their eyes moving around. An elderly person in the early stages of dementia may simply stare either at your or off into space in an unnerving manner. 
• Changes in eating behavior. If you notice your elderly loved one suddenly eating significantly more food than usual, it could be an early sign of dementia. Other changes in eating habits could include eating food they do not typically like, overeating unhealthy food, or even trying to fit too much food in their mouth. 
• Compulsive behaviors. An elderly person just beginning to experience dementia may develop compulsive behaviors like locking a door over and over or purchasing ketchup every time they go to the grocery store even if they already have three bottles in their refrigerator. 

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While changes in memory are certainly an early warning sign of dementia or Alzheimer’s, it is important to remember some cognitive decline is normal as we age. You can actually begin experiencing cognitive decline as early as your thirties. When memory changes begin to impact everyday life is when they become a true concern that should be discussed with a doctor. For example, people of all ages set down their cell phone and can’t remember where they put it. Things like asking the same question over and over or constantly needing to rely on memory aides for things they always used to remember are more troubling signs of memory decline. 

The Alzheimer’s Association provides a list of early warning signs of dementia alongside a list of typical age-related changes that can be very comforting for a worried caregiver. You can view the list, along with many other Alzheimer’s resources, here.