September is World Alzheimer’s Month, and LIVEWELL aims to promote understanding and raise awareness about the disease.
There are 10 warning signs and symptoms people may experience.
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If you notice any of these signs, consult your general practitioner immediately to advise you on the next steps.
Memory loss that disrupts daily life
Forgetting recently learned information is one of the most common signs of dementia.
Others include forgetting important dates or events, asking for the same information over and over, and increasingly needing to rely on family members for things one used to handle on one’s own.
Challenges in planning or solving problems
Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers, such as having trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.
They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, work or leisure
People with dementia often find it hard to complete daily tasks.
Sometimes they may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favourite game.
Confusion with time or place
People lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time.
They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately.
Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
For some people, having vision problems is a sign of dementia.
They may have difficulty reading, judging distance, and determining colour or contrast, which may cause problems with driving.
New problems with words in speaking or writing
People with dementia may have trouble following or joining a conversation.
They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue, or they may repeat themselves.
They may even struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name.
Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
A person with the disease may put things in unusual places.
They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again.
Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing.
This may occur more frequently over time.
Poor judgment
People with dementia may experience changes in judgment or decision making.
They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.
Withdrawal from work or social activities
Sufferers may begin removing themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sport.
They may have trouble keeping up with a favourite sport team or remembering how to complete a favourite hobby.
They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.
Changes in mood and personality
The mood and personalities of people with dementia can change.
They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious.
They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.
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