Early Dementia Symptoms – What Do You Need to Watch For?

If you have noticed that your elderly loved one is acting differently than their normal behavior, there could be a health condition causing it. If you notice the symptoms mentioned below, your elderly loved one could be in the early stages of dementia. Read more about these early dementia symptoms to see if this could potentially be what is going on with your elderly loved one.

Vision Issues

One of the early dementia symptoms that you and senior care providers should watch out for with your loved one are vision issues. You might notice that your elderly loved one can’t see or read as well as they used to. Yes, this could be a sign of aging. However, if it includes issues with seeing differences in contrast and/or colors, it could be a sign of dementia. Another vision issue that could be a symptom of dementia is difficulty figuring out distances.

Speaking and/or Writing Issues

Other early dementia symptoms might include speaking and/or writing issues. You might notice that your elderly loved one can’t follow along with conversations as well as they used to. This might be due to the fact that they can’t speak that well anymore. They might have trouble finding the word they need in the middle of a sentence. This might be the case when they are trying to write, as well.

Judgment Issues

Have you or a senior care provider recently realized that your elderly loved one has issues with their judgment? Maybe you realized that your loved one doesn’t act appropriately in public situations. For instance, out of nowhere, your elderly loved one might ask a stranger at the grocery store for a piece of gum.

Money Issues

You might also notice that your elderly loved one has money issues. This is another one of the early dementia symptoms. Your loved one might be spending more than they should, forgetting what they bought the day before, giving money to people over the phone, not paying their bills, or leaving huge tips.

Conclusion

These are just some of the many early dementia symptoms. If you or a senior care provider notice any of these symptoms in your elderly loved one, talk to their doctor. You should see if they can send your loved one to a specialist that can test for dementia. If your elderly loved one does have dementia, catching it early can help you to come up with a management plan. While this can’t be cured, you can help your elderly loved one to live the best life as long as possible.

Sources
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/dementia-early-signs