A person needs to have at least two types of impairment that significantly interfere with everyday life to receive a dementia diagnosis. Trouble with memory can be an early symptom of dementia. The changes are often subtle and tend to involve short-term memory. An older person may be able to remember events that took place years ago but not what they had for breakfast. Other symptoms of changes in short-term memory include forgetting where they left an item, struggling to remember why they entered a particular room, or forgetting what they were supposed to do on any given day.
Another early symptom of dementia is struggling to communicate thoughts. A person with dementia may have difficulty explaining something or finding the right words to express themselves. Having a conversation with a person who has dementia can be difficult, and it may take longer than usual to conclude. A change in mood is also common with dementia. Depression , for instance, is typical of early dementia. Along with mood changes, you might also see a shift in personality. One typical type of personality change seen with dementia is a shift from being shy to outgoing.
This is because the condition often affects judgment. Apathy , or listlessness, commonly occurs in early dementia. A person with symptoms could lose interest in hobbies or activities. They may not want to go out anymore or do anything fun. They may lose interest in spending time with friends and family, and they may seem emotionally flat.
A subtle shift in the ability to complete normal tasks may indicate that someone has early dementia. This usually starts with difficulty doing more complex tasks like balancing a checkbook or playing games that have a lot of rules.
Along with the struggle to complete familiar tasks, they may struggle to learn how to do new things or follow new routines. Someone in the early stages of dementia may often become confused. When memory, thinking, or judgment lapses, confusion may arise as they can no longer remember faces, find the right words, or interact with people normally. Confusion can occur for a number of reasons and apply to different situations. Perhaps suggest a check-up for a symptom that the person is willing to acknowledge, such as blood pressure, or suggest a review of a long-term condition or medication.
Another way is to suggest that it is time for both of you to have a physical check-up. Any expressed anxiety by the person is an excellent opportunity to suggest a visit to the doctor. Be sure to provide a lot of reassurance.
A calm, caring attitude at this time can help overcome the person's very real worries and fears. Sometimes, your friend or family member may refuse to visit the doctor to ask about their symptoms. You can take a number of actions to get support including:.
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Family and friends of people with Alzheimer's disease discuss their experiences and how to recognise the early signs. Participating in suitable activities can help a person with dementia to achieve purpose and pleasure.
The most important way to help young people cope with dementia is to talk openly and be willing to listen. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia in Australia, accounting for about two thirds of cases.
Providing a calm environment for the person with dementia can help to reduce the impact of changes to behaviour patterns. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.
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Home Dementia. Dementia - early signs. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Early symptoms of dementia Ten warning signs of dementia Conditions with symptoms similar to dementia Diagnosis of dementia Talking with a doctor Where to get help Things to remember.
Early symptoms of dementia Although the early signs vary, common early symptoms of dementia include: memory problems, particularly remembering recent events increasing confusion reduced concentration personality or behaviour changes apathy and withdrawal or depression loss of ability to do everyday tasks. Ten warning signs of dementia Go through the following checklist of the common symptoms of dementia.
Dementia and difficulty with tasks People can get distracted and they may forget to serve part of a meal. Dementia and disorientation A person with dementia may have difficulty finding their way to a familiar place or feel confused about where they are, or think they are back in some past time of their life. Dementia and language 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.
Dementia and changes in abstract thinking Managing finances can be difficult for anyone, but a person with dementia may have trouble knowing what the numbers mean or what to do with them. Dementia and poor judgement Many activities require good judgement. Dementia and poor spatial skills A person with dementia may have difficulty judging distance or direction when driving a car.
Dementia and misplacing things Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or keys. Dementia and mood, personality or behaviour changes Everyone becomes sad or moody from time to time.
Dementia and loss of initiative It is normal to tire of some activities. Also limit sedatives and sleeping tablets and talk to your doctor about whether any of the drugs you take might make your memory worse. Dementia can affect many body systems and, therefore, the ability to function.
Dementia can lead to:. There's no sure way to prevent dementia, but there are steps you can take that might help. More research is needed, but it might be beneficial to do the following:. Get enough vitamins. Some research suggests that people with low levels of vitamin D in their blood are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. You can get vitamin D through certain foods, supplements and sun exposure.
More study is needed before an increase in vitamin D intake is recommended for preventing dementia, but it's a good idea to make sure you get adequate vitamin D. Taking a daily B-complex vitamin and vitamin C also might help. Manage cardiovascular risk factors. Treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
Lose weight if you're overweight. High blood pressure might lead to a higher risk of some types of dementia. More research is needed to determine whether treating high blood pressure may reduce the risk of dementia.
Dementia care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with your daily life.
Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references What is dementia? Alzheimer's Association. Accessed Feb. The dementias: Hope through research.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Larson EB. Evaluation of cognitive impairment of dementia. Dementia adult. Mayo Clinic;
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