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Signs of dementia don’t always affect memory first (Image: GETTY)
Dementia is a progressive decline in cognitive function that is often associated with memory loss and confusion that becomes severe enough to impair a person’s everyday life and functioning. However, the condition affects a range of systems in the body that aren’t associated with memory at all.
Dementia is a condition characterized by the gradual decline in cognitive abilities, often leading to memory issues and confusion severe enough to interfere with daily life. However, its impact extends beyond memory, affecting various bodily systems.
Early signs of dementia are frequently mistaken for the natural aging process. While experiencing one or two symptoms occasionally might be considered normal, consistent occurrences warrant a conversation with a healthcare professional. Alzheimer’s Research UK emphasizes the importance of not dismissing these signs.
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Risky decisions
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According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can affect the frontal lobes of the brain. This area aids in recognizing potential scams and evaluating consequences before taking action.
One early indicator of dementia involves a decline in judgment, leading individuals to make uncharacteristically risky decisions. Such changes can jeopardize their finances, safety, and personal well-being.
Social withdrawal
Other symptoms of dementia like struggling to find the right word or remember people’s names can make socialising harder to navigate. As a result of this combination of symptoms, a person with dementia might start withdrawing from their usual social activities to avoid these difficulties.
Following fast-moving conversations and dealing with noisy environments can also become more difficult to deal with, which may mean they struggle to keep up with their hobbies or teams.
However, it is normal to occasionally feel disinterested in family or social obligations as we age, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Vision issues
Some people living with dementia can experience changes in their vision and how they interpret the world around them. This can lead to a range of issues affecting reading, driving, judging distance and even figuring out what colour things are.
This can present in misjudging steps or kerbs that would usually not be an issue. However, the experts note that a number of vision changes can also be linked to typical age-related issues like cataracts.
There are over 100 different types of dementia and each can affect people differently. The NHS notes that the most common early symptoms that appear before a diagnosis include memory loss and difficulty concentrating.
People may also find it increasingly hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, find the right word they want to use, experience mood changes and losing track of days, times or places they are in.
