When you’re looking into senior care for a loved one, one crucial option is memory care. Memory care is designed for residents with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other chronic conditions that impact memory.
Fortunately, communities like Rittenhouse Village at Michigan City offer tiered options, including both assisted living and memory care. This makes it easy for residents to seek increasing levels of support as needed.
However, some seniors benefit from moving into memory care right away. How do you know if your loved one is one of them?
Read on as we discuss early dementia signs to look out for as your loved one ages.
Common Early Dementia Signs
According to the National Library of Medicine, an estimated 6.7 million American seniors have dementia. Could your loved one be one of them? Here are some of the top early dementia signs to look out for and discuss with your loved one’s doctor.
Worsening Memory Loss
Perhaps the most well-known of all dementia symptoms is memory loss. What does this look like in the early stages of dementia? Examples include:
- Asking the same questions multiple times in a short period
- Forgetting significant names (such as the names of long-time friends or neighbors)
- Forgetting significant dates (such as upcoming appointments or wedding anniversaries)
You’ll notice this happening more often and more frequently. Dementia-related memory loss may start with short-term memory problems, but this is not always the case.
Challenges With Problem Solving
Dementia can impact linear thinking, making step or task-oriented tasks difficult to complete. You may notice your loved one struggling to:
- Make a grocery list
- Work with numbers (such as calculating costs or tracking expenses)
- Schedule social visits or appointments
In moments where problem-solving is required, your loved one may grow more confused or show signs of frustration. They may also demonstrate a shortened attention span, switching focus to a different topic or task without warning.
Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks
Families often start to express concern when challenges with problem-solving extend to familiar tasks. For example, your loved one may show a diminished capacity to:
- Cook a familiar recipe
- Use technology they use every day (such as their television or computer)
- Navigate to a known location (such as a nearby relative’s house or doctor’s office)
What is noteworthy about this particular symptom is that the tasks in question are tasks that your loved one once completed with ease or often enough to require minimal assistance.
Confusion Around Time and Location
Dementia signs in the elderly include confusion regarding time and location. For example, your loved one may express confusion about:
- The day of the week or time of year it is currently
- Where they are and how they arrived there
- Things that are happening in the future and not right away
For example, your loved one may ask you to explain many times when you’re coming to visit and how far into the future that date is. As their dementia progresses, you may find it easier to give them less advanced notice of upcoming plans.
Additional Cognitive Decline Indicators
Dementia doesn’t just cause memory loss. It affects various parts of the brain, creating other notable shifts in things like language use and mood. Here are some additional cognitive decline indicators associated with dementia.
Language Problems
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, any type of dementia can cause problems with language. With certain types of dementia, language problems may be one of the earliest symptoms.
For example, your loved one may struggle to find words in conversation. They may start to substitute related words (e.g., car instead of bus) or descriptions of words (e.g., the thing that makes calls instead of phone).
Late-Day Confusion
Late-day confusion (aka sundowning) is a symptom often associated with dementia, not typical memory loss. Late-day confusion is marked by diminished mental or emotional flexibility as the day progresses.
The Mayo Clinic notes that additional factors can exacerbate late-day confusion. For example, hunger, thirst, or unfamiliar locations can all make late-day confusion worse.
Mood and Personality Changes
In the early stages, your loved one may sense that something is changing in their cognitive functioning. This can create feelings of anxiety or fear, which they may express as frustration or anger.
As dementia progresses, it can have a significant impact on your loved one’s mood and personality. They may become more distrustful or paranoid due to constant confusion. As their sense of time and location slips, you may even notice behavioral reversions that cause your loved one to act childlike or act from a headspace of former trauma.
Differences Between Minor Memory Loss and Dementia
It’s important to distinguish between minor memory loss and dementia. Remember, a bit of forgetfulness is a normal part of aging, but dementia is not.
Minor memory loss will only result in the occasional disruption. Your loved one may forget to pay a single bill on time. They may misplace items from time to time or take a few seconds to search for a specific word.
Minor memory loss should not cause notable shifts in mood and personality. It also shouldn’t increase drastically or rapidly.
Can Other Conditions Impact Memory?
Some memory loss warning signs may not indicate dementia. According to the National Institute on Aging, memory loss can result from things like:
- Head injuries
- Malnutrition
- Mental health conditions such as depression
- Blood clots and tumors in the brain
One of our most important dementia diagnosis tips is to talk to your loved one’s doctor about other possible causes of memory loss. It’s possible that addressing a root issue can clear up memory issues. For example, assisted living dining programs may reduce symptoms related to malnutrition.
Learn More About Rittenhouse Village at Michigan City Memory Care
If you’re looking for senior care options for a loved one, make sure to consider their current and future needs. If any of these early dementia signs sound familiar, talk to your loved one’s doctor.
Our SHINE memory care program at Rittenhouse Village at Michigan City creates a safe and welcoming environment for seniors with significant memory issues. Our memory care staff members receive specialized training to provide support and programs geared toward patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Schedule a tour to see our community in action.
