Difficulty completing tasks
You might also notice a very subtle shift in their capacity of completing common tasks. If so, then this might be another sign of cognitive decline. This usually starts with an inability to perform more complex tasks, an inability that certainly wasn’t there before.
It can manifest in many particular activities, such as balancing a checkbook, keeping track of the bills, following a recipe, or even playing a game that has many rules. Besides the struggle to complete familiar tasks, someone with dementia might also struggle to learn how to do new things or follow new routines.
Confusion
Another symptom that occurs in the early stages of dementia is feeling more confused than before. People who start to show signs of dementia have trouble remembering faces and individuals, knowing what day or month it is, or even figuring out where they are.
Confusion might happen in various cases and for many reasons and might apply to different contexts. A good example is when they misplace their car keys, forget what activities are to follow that day, or have difficulty remembering someone they have met only recently.
14 thoughts on “11 Early Symptoms of Dementia You Should Know”
Excellent! Very helpful information.
Informative but actually kind of scary.
i liked your article. not there yet, but it never hurts to be aware of the signs!! thanks!! maddog!
This was informative and I think I have most of the symptoms!
Ive been reading the Unbreakable Brain by Dr. Will Mitchell. He has studied the cognitive decline and how to protect it in these difficult times and aging issues. It is a wonderful proof that diet and exercise etc. can turn this decline around and people can augment significant changes in their deteriorating stages!
Very informative. Both my Father & Father-in-law had this. This list is what I have experienced within the last 6-9 months.
I’m 82 and starting to have this symptoms, is rather sad.
My Mom has dementia, one of her closest friends is also exhibiting signs of dementia, I have noticed that I’m also having signs myself, I often can’t find words to complete a statement or conversation, I sometimes leave one room to go do/get something but once I leave the room I forgot what I was going to do, I usually remember after a little while. This is very unsettling, thanks for the article. I am now concerned about what I can do to head this off. I think that your next topic for consideration is “how to head off dementia”.
Some of these things happen due to age or stress. I have read if you eventually do remember then you are ok
I just lost a sister inlaw to this awful disease. Maybe thats not the appropriate title; but she went down hill quite rapidly after the loss of her husband. She never fully understood that he was gone, and she went between her daughters care to her sons. It’s very sad what this can do to an individual. My prayers are with each and every one of you! Keep your head up and let’s fight for a cure for all these sad, sickening diseases. Together we’ll all make a difference!!
God bless,
Sherri
The list is a real mashup of conditions- some I have experienced for years (I am now 80) and some seem to anticipate a future condition. None seem unambiguously ‘on’ or ‘off’ Do you have any gradations or degrees of exposure?
How can you tell dementia from peri-menopause, postmenopause or menopause?
They share similar symptoms.
Hello Sherri,
I there a way to get some type of copy or transcript of this article. It is very well presented.
John
I have about half of the symptoms on the list. Scary!