Dementia is the loss of memory and reasoning to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life.
One in four family caregivers in the United States care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia, which can be costly and stressful. It can also be challenging to spot the signs and symptoms of dementia, since they may be misinterpreted as normal age-related memory loss.
Spot the Difference
For anyone who cares for, lives with, or regularly sees an older adult, here are some common scenarios you might observe and how to distinguish between normal behavior related to aging and more concerning changes related to dementia.
Withdrawal from work or social activities. Most people occasionally feel uninterested in social obligations, but people with dementia may struggle to hold or follow a conversation. This can lead to withdrawal from social activities or hobbies that were once a favorite pastime.
Confusion with time or place. It’s normal to forget the date or location where something happened if you eventually recall it later. But what may be cause for concern is if an older adult forgets they’re at a friend’s home, for example, and doesn’t remember that you drove them there, despite your explanation. This could be a warning sign of dementia.
Trouble finding the words. We’ve all been tongue-tied trying to find the right word in a conversation – that’s typical. But people with dementia might find themselves stopping in the middle of a sentence because they can’t recall a familiar word, or repeating the same story over again because they don’t know how to advance the conversation.
Problematic decision-making. Forgetting to pay a bill or change the oil in the car is normal behavior, but consistently making poor decisions with money or neglecting everyday tasks like bathing or brushing your teeth could be a sign of dementia.
Major mood swings. People with dementia may become confused more easily, causing feelings of fear, anxiety, depression, or anger to arise quickly, especially when in unfamiliar situations. This is different from mild irritation if a daily routine is disrupted.
Give and Get Support
If you notice any of these changes in an older adult and are concerned they may have dementia, there are several research-backed steps you should take and tools you can use to ensure they get the care they need.
First, make an appointment with their primary care doctor to get tested. Though the prospect of a dementia diagnosis can be frightening to consider, catching it early affords more time to plan. If their care providers are part of the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative, dementia screenings are a routine part of the care they’d receive.
Next, make sure you understand what matters to the older adult in terms of their care priorities. Having a conversation with older adults about their care plan as early as possible before dementia progresses helps ensure their wishes through the end of life are understood and carried out. This guide from The Conversation Project can help.
At the same time, tap into a support system for yourself, too. Navigating a new diagnosis and caring for a person with dementia can be overwhelming for caregivers, so contact your local Area Agency on Aging, join a support group, and seek resources to help you manage any feelings of stress or social isolation.
By understanding the signs and symptoms of dementia, family caregivers can better help older adults plan and get the kind of care that matters to them when they need it most.
For more resources on age-friendly care, visit johnahartford.org/agefriendly.
(A version of this article, by Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation, originally appeared on Next Avenue.)
Show Sources
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SOURCES:
National Institute on Aging: “What Is Dementia? Symptoms, Types, and Diagnosis.”
AARP Public Policy Institute: “Caregiving in the United States 2020.”
