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Early Signs of Dementia

IN LOVED ONES OR AN INDIVIDUAL DIAGNOSED

With Alzheimer's or Dementia

Ten Alzheimer/Dementia EARLY Signs

Not sure whether you or a family member has dementia?

Here are 10 signs that you or your loved one may have early signs of dementia or Alzheimers disease and should see a doctor to be assessed (adapted from the Alzheimer Society of Canada).

1. Memory loss. Frequently forgetting things such as where you left your car.

2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks such as making a meal or putting on clothes.

3. Problems with language. Forgetting words and using the wrong word.

4. Being disorientation - not knowing what day it is or getting lost in a familiar place.

5. Impaired judgment - not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing light clothing on a cold day.

6. Problems with abstract thinking - not understanding what numbers signify on a calculator, for example , or how they're used.

7. Misplacing things - putting things in strange places, like an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.

8. Changes in mood and behaviour - exhibiting severe mood swings such as switching from easy-going to quick-tempered.

9. Changes in personality - behaving out of character such as feeling paranoid or threatened.

10. Loss of initiative - losing interest in friends, family and favourite activities.

* With thanks to the Alzheimers Society of Canada.

MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

If you are having mild problems with memory, language, judgment or thinking that are not serious enough to interfere with everyday life, you may have mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI puts you at a higher risk of developing Alzheimers disease but does not always progress to full-blown Alzheimers disease.

It is a good idea to see your doctor, who can diagnose MCI or rule out problems related to other health issues as poor vision, poor hearing or depression.