Dementia Care Experts Reveal Common Signs A Loved One May Be Suffering From Memory Loss

Alzheimer's Disease, the most common form of dementia, affects more than 3 million people every year in the United States. The disease, marked by memory loss and confusion, is just one form of dementia and typically makes daily functioning very difficult for seniors. According to the National Institute on Aging, “damage to the brain starts a decade or more before memory and other cognitive problems appear” in dementia patients. Because of this, dementia care experts stress how important it is to keep an eye out for dementia symptoms, so seniors can get the care they need as soon as they need it. Here are some of the most common signs that you or a loved one could be suffering from dementia.

Subtle signs of memory loss

While memory loss is a hallmark of dementia, it often doesn’t occur substantially until later stages, according to dementia care experts. However, there are some subtle signs of memory loss that can give caregivers a clue as to what is going on. For seniors, these signs are typically limited to short-term memories, like what they had for breakfast, where they left their keys and what they’re doing tomorrow.

Mood changes

If someone has been depressed, anxious or isolated their whole life, it may be hard to get a sense for their mood changing too much. But for someone who has a normally bubbly, charming attitude, mood changes are a key indicator that dementia could be at play.

Confusion

If a senior is starting to get confused in everyday situations they’ve dealt with before, dementia care experts say that they could be exhibiting some signs of it. If someone has a hard time remembering a face or what they are supposed to do that day, they could be suffering from dementia.

Putting common household items in the wrong place

If a senior who was once organized starts misplacing their everyday items, they could be suffering from dementia. Dementia care experts recommend keeping an eye on where seniors place their keys, toothbrushes, and other common items to get a sense for whether or not they’re consistently putting the items in the same place.

Personal hygiene

One of the lesser-known signs that someone is suffering from dementia is if their personal hygiene suddenly becomes worse than normal. For dementia patients, remembering to clean themselves normally can be difficult, resulting in poor hygiene, even in individuals that were once very clean.