What to Expect in the Early Stages of Dementia

Dementia is caused by damaged cells in the brain. Symptoms of dementia can vary widely, two of the following core mental behaviors must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia:

• Communication
• Memory
• Concentration and Ability to Focus
• Reasoning and Judgment
• Visual Perception

Struggling with Communicating and the Conveyance of Words

In the early stages of dementia, you may notice a person has difficulty finding the right words in conversation. Communicating may prove difficult to someone with dementia, and the conversation may take longer to conclude.

Short Term Memory Loss

An early sign of dementia can include subtle changes involving short term memory. An elderly person showing signs of dementia may remember song lyrics or memories from the distant past, but may have trouble recognizing close friends and family, what they did that morning or even 20 minutes ago.

Difficulty Following Conversation or Storylines

You may notice your loved one is slow to process conversation or has difficulty following along during movies or TV shows. People with early signs of dementia could have trouble remembering the meaning of words in conversation.

Insensitivity, Listlessness, or Detachment

A loved one may begin to show lack of motivation and may be uninterested in activities or hobbies. They may seem withdrawn from friends and family and prefer not to engage in social activities. Researchers are giving detachment, or apathy, a closer look to better understand the physical changes in the brain. Although researchers are becoming more knowledgeable about apathy, treating it is still difficult. Researchers are hoping new found market research will help developing and future cases of apathy.

Repetitiveness

Being repetitive is tied to memory loss and behavior changes in the brain. A loved one with in the early stages of dementia may repeat tasks or questions within a short period of time. For a caregiver or family member it is important to respond calmly, be patient and provide the answer he or she is looking for.

Resistant to Change

Early stages of dementia can feel frightening. Forgetting the names of close friends and being unable to follow conversation can leave a person in fear for many reasons, including:

• Fear of losing independence
• Fear of not being able to live at home
• Fear of isolation or loneliness
• Fear of the unknown

Because of all of the overwhelming fears, a loved one may be experiencing, it’s important for family members or caregivers to spend time with them so they feel comfort, even though they might not express it.

Posted on September 30, 2015 at 2:50 pm