These 9 signs could indicate the early stages of dementia

Dementia occurs much more often than you might think. According to the NHS, one in 14 people over 65 will develop dementia, while that number rises to 1 in 6 for people over 80. It isn’t always very easy to determine whether someone really has dementia since the first symptoms often differ per person.

These nine subtle changes can indicate the early stages of dementia.

9. Time and place

The sense of time and the ability to find their way slowly decreases for people with dementia. For example, it might happen that someone walks to the supermarket and then has no idea how they got there. Telling the time or saying/writing what day or year it is also becomes difficult.

8. Writing

This is closely connected to the symptom above. Writing down an address, a birthday card or any other form of writing becomes quite difficult. Finding the right words is especially hard while writing something down. Concentration problems also arise when writing, because people who are in the first stages of dementia can’t concentrate for long enough to finish a sentence.

7. Short term memory

One of the most common early signs of dementia is short term memory problems. It’s difficult to determine, of course, because everyone forgets where they put their keys or phone sometimes. However, with dementia, the forgetfulness is more serious and happens more often as well. Things are often found again in the most illogical places. Examples are keys that are found in the fridge or a wallet in the microwave.

6. Mood swings

Sudden mood swings and changes in behaviour often occur in people who are in the early stages of dementia. People with dementia might suffer from depressions, but this isn’t necessarily the case. What is true in all cases is that the mood swings always come seemingly out of nowhere. A sudden burst of laughter or crying without a clear reason is one of the most common signs.

5. Finding the right words

Finding the right words is often difficult for people with dementia. This doesn’t mean that they just can’t find the difficult words. Often the names of people or common utensils and products are the things people find hard to remember. For outsiders, it can be surprising that conversations with people with dementia don’t run smoothly. The conversations are often cut short because the person in question doesn’t know how to proceed.

4. Repetition

People who are in the early stages of dementia often repeat themselves. They tell the same stories in the same way again and again or ask the same questions over and over. The repetition doesn’t just occur when talking or socialising, though: it also happens when performing tasks. People will repeat a certain task a few times in a row.

3. Listlessness

Does someone retreat much more and do they undertake a lot less than before? This can be an early sign of dementia. People suddenly seem to be a lot less interested in social activities and the hobbies they loved before. Besides that, people with dementia also have a lot less energy than before, so they are tired and listless and sleep much more than usual.

2. Concentration problems

Concentration problems are a common issue for people with dementia. These problems are often related to problem-solving or organising and planning tasks. Planning ahead or following a previously set plan is often very difficult. People can also experience more problems with numbers.

1. Housework

Household tasks that used to be second nature like cooking or cleaning suddenly become an impossible task. For people with dementia, it becomes hard to figure out in which order they should perform a task or what route to follow.