How to Spot Signs of Dementia
There are 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. By 2025 the number is expected to rise to over one million. Shockingly, dementia is the leading cause of death for women in the UK and yet surprisingly, people know very little about it. By learning how to spot signs and symptoms, we can ensure people get the treatment and support they need as early as possible.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is not a disease in itself. Dementia is a word used to describe a collection of symptoms that occur when brain cells stop functioning properly. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, but there are others. Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, mood changes and difficulty with day-to-day tasks.
Are there common signs?
One of the greatest problems in recognising the various forms of dementia is that it affects people in different ways. However, there are some common signs to watch out for.
Memory loss
Declining memory is probably the most readily recognised symptom. This is more than just forgetfulness. A person may not only forget someone’s name but not recognise that person as their neighbour or relative.
Increase in dependency
A classic example being an increase in the number of phone calls. It can appear quite normal at first but often escalates, to the point where some family members stop answering the phone. Unfortunately, the caller’s anxiety continues and they simply call again.
Confusion as to time and place
We all forget the day of the week or lose track of time momentarily. For people living with dementia, this takes on another dimension. They will often forget what year it is, forget where they live, or want to return to a home they lived in many years ago.
Mood swings or unusual behaviour
A person with dementia may exhibit a change in their demeanour. They may become unusually emotional, perhaps irritable, or experience rapid mood swings. Others may start crying for no apparent reason, which can be understandably distressing.
Misplacing things
Anyone can temporarily misplace their wallet or keys, but a person with dementia may put things in unusual places, with neither reason nor logic. In the early stages, they will realise that they have misplaced something and become really frustrated when they cannot find it in the place they expect it to be.
The Jekyll and Hyde factor
Someone living with dementia may seem to take on a completely different personality. At times they may appear to be quite different from the person you know and care about. They may become rude, objectionable, anxious, depressed, irritable, or suspicious.
The familiar becomes an ordeal
Simple tasks like getting dressed and putting clothes on in the right order, or picking appropriate clothes for the current weather conditions become a challenge.
Lack of drive
Watch out for feelings of lethargy, being content to watch TV for hours, sleeping more than usual, losing interest in hobbies and a drop in appetite.
Is there a most at-risk group?
Generally, the more elderly the person, the higher the risk. People in their 80’s and 90’s make up a large percentage of cases but don’t assume that means younger mums, dads or grandparents are exempt. Some people start showing the first signs much sooner. Early onset of dementia affects over 70,000 people under the age of 65 in the UK.
Who should I tell, and what should I do if I’m worried?
If you think that any of these problems are affecting your daily life, or the life of someone you know, the best thing to do is to address it as soon as possible. Sweeping it under the carpet or thinking that you’ll ‘wait and see’ if things happen again or get worse can have devastating effects. As with most illnesses, the quicker you can get medical intervention the better.
In the first instance, discuss your concerns with family and friends. Let them know you are worried, as they may have noticed things too. Having the support of family and friends is important for everyone.
Secondly, have a caring and sympathetic chat with your loved one. They may be just as scared and confused as you are. It’s vital that you remember this is happening to them, and they need to be involved in all discussions.
How to talk to your loved ones
Unless symptoms are so severe that your loved one won’t be able to understand what is happening, you need to calmly and sensitively communicate with them about things. At this point constant reassurance is crucial. It’s likely to be a distressing and maybe even frightening conversation for them, so try to keep things as relaxed as possible. Aim to have this conversation during the day, at a time when they won’t immediately be left on their own afterwards to work themselves into a panic.
Try asking questions like “it’s getting a bit harder now to make lunch, isn’t it?” And “are you missing being able to get out and about as much as you used to?” to stimulate a conversation. Never talk about your loved one and their problems in front of them as though they aren’t there.
Avoid confrontational words and phrases like “You’re always forgetting things it’s a nightmare”, “I’m worried you’re going to get hurt/lost’ ‘it’s dangerous”, “it makes you look stupid” etc. All of this will lead to a very negative reaction and cause feelings of guilt and possibly denial.
For more information on our dementia care packages, click here or contact your local Care Consultant.
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