Disorientation To Poor Judgement, 10 Symptoms Of Dementia

Dementia is a term that describes a group of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, and social skills. In people who have dementia, the symptoms interfere with their daily lives. Dementia is not a specific disease. Several diseases can cause dementia. Dementia is generally associated with memory loss. This is often one of the first symptoms of the disease. Memory loss alone does not mean that one has dementia. Let’s take a look at the symptoms of dementia.

Memory loss

It is normal to occasionally forget appointments and remember them later. A person with dementia may forget things more often or not remember them at all.

Difficulty with completing tasks

People can become distracted and may forget to serve part of a meal. A person with dementia may have difficulty completing all the steps in preparing a meal.

Disorientation

A person with dementia may have trouble finding their way to a familiar place, or may be confused about where they are, or may think they are in a past time in their life.

Speech problems

Everyone has trouble finding the right word sometimes, but a person with dementia may forget simple words or substitute inappropriate words, making sentences difficult to understand. They may also have trouble understanding others.

Changes in abstract thinking

Dealing with finances can be difficult for anyone, but a person with dementia may have trouble recognising the meaning of numbers or handling them.

Poor judgement

Many activities require good judgement. When this ability is impaired by dementia, the person may have difficulty making appropriate decisions, such as what to wear in cold weather.

Poor spatial skills

A person with dementia may have difficulty judging distances or directions when driving.

Misplacing objects

Anyone can temporarily misplace their wallet or keys. A person with dementia may no longer remember what they need the keys for.

Changes in mood, personality or behaviour

Everyone feels sad or moody from time to time. People with dementia may experience rapid mood swings for no apparent reason. They may become confused, suspicious or withdrawn. Some may become disinhibited or more outgoing.

Loss of initiative

It is normal to feel tired during certain activities. Dementia may cause a person to lose interest in activities they once enjoyed or to need cues to participate.