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:
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.
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.
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.
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 They may seem withdrawn from friends and family and prefer not to engage in social activities.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.
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.
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:
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
Our company was founded in 1977 by Kenneth Webb under the name Quality Health Care Specialists, Corp. In 2011, Jerry and Nancy Voyna became the proud owners after 20+ years of service within the company home office. At that time Jerry and Nancy changed the name of the company to QHC Management, LLC and QHC Facilities, LLC, respectively. QHC Management oversees the operations of QHC Facilities and in total there are 10 facilities; eight skilled nursing homes and two assisted living facilities.