Dementia is an extremely complex condition that affects people all over the world. As the condition develops it becomes more than just about memory loss, but can actually affect a person’s ability to be able to take care of themselves or even function in the world around them.
This is why so many families turn towards assisted living as a solution to help care for their older loved one suffering from dementia. However, many families may not be sure if what they’re facing is dementia or simply age-related memory loss.
Knowing the difference is important as it can help you plan the best course of action. To help you, here are some signs that it is dementia and not simply “brain fog.”
Memory Loss
The first and most obvious sign that it’s dementia is full-fledged memory loss. That doesn’t mean forgetting where your keys are one day means you need to consider that you have dementia. We all get forgetful once in a while.
However if you’re forgetting recently learned information as if you never learned it at all, or you’re struggling to remember important dates, this can be a serious problem—especially if it’s starting to affect your daily life. After all, you rely on your memory to be able to look after yourself, pay bills, and remember who you are and when you were born. It’s worth looking into if frequent memory loss is repeatedly becoming a problem.
Difficulty With Tasks
Another serious challenge that comes along with dementia is difficulty completing normally simple tasks. Are there familiar activities that are suddenly becoming a challenge to follow through with? Perhaps super simple tasks like taking a shower have started to feel overwhelming. Can you follow a recipe? How are your finances? If this sounds like you, then it’s something that you should talk to your doctor about.
Inability to Make Decisions
Are you struggling to make decisions and feel like you can’t trust your own judgment? Many people who start to develop dementia start making uncharacteristically bad choices. They may start giving away large sums of money or suddenly seem indifferent about things that were once incredibly important to them. A dramatic shift in behavior and judgment is definitely a red flag that should not be ignored.
Mood Changes
Everyone gets moody from time to time. After all, if you haven’t eaten or maybe you’re running a little low on sleep, you can find yourself struggling to put on a happy face. However, if you start to notice that you or an older loved one has dramatic personality shifts and increased frustration, then this is definitely a sign that is often associated with dementia.
Although these kinds of symptoms can often be linked to other conditions like anxiety or depression, it’s not something that should be ruled out as a sign of dementia if paired with the other symptoms.
