Dementia Care in Fresno, CA: Is it Dementia or Just Memory Loss?

Forgetfulness is a common side effect of the aging process. Your loved one may forget where he put his keys or the TV remote. If your loved one is forgetful from time to time, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to be dealing with a serious cognitive issue. But, if your loved one’s forgetfulness grows over time it may be a critical early sign for dementia.

Common Signs of Dementia in Seniors

Research has shown that 40% of seniors in the United States deal with age-associated memory impairment. Only 1% of the memory loss will progress into dementia. It’s important to the difference between scattered memory lapses and progressive memory loss. Below are a few forms of memory loss that you should look out for.

• Forgetting how to complete typical tasks: This can include forgetting ingredients in a recipe that they’ve known for years or the rules of a board game they love playing. When your loved one forgets things that have been a part of their lives for years, it’s a red flag.
• Confusing dates, seasons, and time: Losing track of time can indicate cognitive decline that steeps past normal forgetfulness.
• Frequently forgetting/missing appointments: Keep an eye out for forgotten medical appointments.
• Forgetting the names of friends and loved ones: Although forgetting names from time to time is common if the mix up frequently happens it can become a cause for concern.
• Forgetting recent events while remembering past events clearly: For example, can your loved one recall prominent events from childhood like they happened yesterday but struggle to remember an event from this past week?

Aside from memory loss, other early dementia signs that indicate cognitive decline include getting lost in familiar places, neglecting personal health, and inability to follow directions.

How Dementia Care Can Help Seniors with Memory Loss

If you are witnessing signs of cognitive decline, get your loved one to a doctor. Early detection is key in providing quality care that helps your loved one live an independent, dignified life. Visiting Angels of Fresno can assist your family by providing your loved one with professional, dignified dementia care.

During our dementia care, we help our clients perform daily tasks that can become more difficult with age. They include meal preparation, laundry help, housekeeping, dressing, bathing, and toileting assistance, medication reminders, and companionship. This eases your loved one’s daily routine and helps them be able to live comfortably at home and avoid moving to an assisted living facility, which can become detrimental for those with memory loss.

From fall prevention to meal preparation, our caregivers are here to help your loved one live safely at home.

Want more information about our dementia care? Call Visiting Angels of Fresno today at 559-550-6573.