Early Signs & Symptoms

Knowing and understanding the early signs of dementia can be helpful in determining the right time to seek professional help for you or a loved one.

It can be worrying when you notice a change in a loved one’s memory, but dementia is more than just forgetfulness. Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that affects memory as well as communication & critical thinking skills (1). 

Signs & symptoms can present themselves differently in every case, however there are common ones that you can proactively be on the lookout for.

Top Signs of Dementia

1. Memory Loss

The most well-known symptom of dementia is memory loss. It’s common for people developing dementia to forget things they used to remember, such as appointments or events.

2. Mood or Behaviour Changes

People with dementia are likely to have rapid mood swings and behaviour changes. It is common for them to become increasingly distressed and anxious.

3. Difficulty Communicating

It can be difficult for a person with dementia to communicate as they once could. Finding the right words and holding a conversation can become a challenging task.

4. Visual Disorientation

Dementia patients struggle with visual information and can become disoriented when reading, driving or judging the spatial distance between two objects.

5. Poor Judgement

A person with dementia may be likely to display poor judgement or decision-making skills. They may be more prone to falling victim to scams online

When to Seek Help

These are all symptoms you can be on the lookout for in your loved ones. Sometimes there may be similar symptoms like these that are normal and simply a natural age-related change (2). Therefore, it’s important to understand when it’s time to go see a medical professional.

Resources:
1.https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324516.php
2. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs 

Early Signs & Symptoms 

Knowing and understanding the early signs of dementia can be helpful in determining the right time to seek professional help for you or a loved one.

It can be worrying when you notice a change in a loved one’s memory, but dementia is more than just forgetfulness. Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that affects memory as well as communication & critical thinking skills (1). 

Signs & symptoms can present themselves differently in every case, however there are common ones that you can proactively be on the lookout for.

Top Signs of Dementia

1. Memory Loss

The most well-known symptom of dementia is memory loss. It’s common for people developing dementia to forget things they used to remember, such as appointments or events.  

2. Mood or Behaviour Changes

People with dementia are likely to have rapid mood swings and behaviour changes. It is common for them to become increasingly distressed and anxious.

3. Difficulty Communicating

It can be difficult for a person with dementia to communicate as they once could. Finding the right words and holding a conversation can become a challenging task.

4. Visual Disorientation

Dementia patients struggle with visual information and can become disoriented when reading, driving or judging the spatial distance between two objects.

5. Poor Judgement

A person with dementia may be likely to display poor judgement or decision-making skills. They may be more prone to falling victim to scams online

When to Seek Help

These are all symptoms you can be on the lookout for in your loved ones. Sometimes there may be similar symptoms like these that are normal and simply a natural age-related change (2). Therefore, it’s important to understand when it’s time to go see a medical professional.

Resources:
1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324516.php
2. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs 

Do you want to create a
dementia friendly environment?

About Signage For Care

Signage For Care is a sub-brand of Wayfinders, a signage company based in Dublin who has been in business for 40 years. We have been designing dementia friendly signage for care homes since the very beginning. We discovered a gap in the dementia signage market and decided to take matters into our own hands in 2016, which is when Signage For Care was born.