The number of people living with dementia is quickly expanding. According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people live with dementia, and there are nearly 10 million new cases yearly. Dementia kills more people than prostate and breast cancer combined—1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.

Often, loved ones attribute common symptoms of dementia to growing older. But dementia is not a normal part of aging. An early diagnosis gives you a better chance of benefiting from treatment and slowing progression. Learn to watch out for the early signs of dementia in your loved one.

• Memory loss: Your loved one continuously forgets important dates, names, old memories, or recently learned information and increasingly relies on memory devices like notes or electronic devices.
• Difficulty with daily tasks: Your loved one has trouble accomplishing everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, eating, oral hygiene, and going to the bathroom. These tasks may be done halfway, poorly, or not at all.
• Difficulty following or developing a plan: They may have trouble following a recipe they’ve made many times or keeping track of recurring bills. They find it hard to concentrate on these tasks and get confused easily.
• Getting lost in familiar places: They get lost going to a familiar place like the grocery store or on a walk around the neighborhood. Sometimes, they may not realize they’re lost or ask for help until someone approaches them.
• Problems speaking and writing: Your loved one has trouble following or joining in a conversation or using the correct vocabulary. They stop in the middle of a sentence or repeat something they’ve said a few moments prior. Their handwriting looks shaky or increasingly indecipherable.
• Repetition: Your loved one asks the same question or repeats a story multiple times in a short period of time. They may seem confused when you tell them you’ve already answered their question or heard their story.
• Losing track of time: They have trouble understanding something if it’s not happening immediately. They may be confused about what day of the week or season it is. They sometimes forget where they are or how they got there.
• Misplacing things: Your loved one sometimes puts things in odd places or loses something and cannot retrace their steps. They also may collect or hoard things like papers, receipts, food, garbage, plastic bags, and old clothes.
• Changes in mood or personality: They don’t quite seem themselves and instead seem unusually anxious, confused, suspicious, depressed, or fearful. They are easily upset and sometimes become aggressive.
• Troubling behavior: Your loved one shows a decrease in judgment, such as being reckless with money, driving aggressively, or refusing to wear a jacket in the middle of winter.

If you or a loved one is experiencing any warning signs of dementia, don’t ignore them. Make an appointment with your doctor.

How Grand Oaks can Help

When you or your loved one lives with Alzheimer’s Disease or other memory-related disorders, you deserve a residence specializing in memory care. The Oasis Neighborhood at Grand Oaks offers an experienced staff that provides attentive support grounded in respect and compassion and personalized care routines as unique as the person receiving them.