Do I have dementia? What are the very first signs of dementia? What am I looking for? Lots of people start getting worried about dementia as they grow older. Usually it’s because they forgot where they put their keys! Could this be a sign of dementia?
Normal Aging of the Brain
OK. First, let’s talk about the normal aging of the brain. It’s a fact of life that aging causes a slowing down of your body’s functions. This is true of the brain too. For those of us over the age of 60, the brain will reveal subtle changes like the “forgetting your keys” incident. About 40% of people over 65 will have some form of memory deficit. It’s called “age associated memory impairment.” This is a normal event.
Why Do I Do That?
Sometimes it takes you longer to think of how to do something. Don’t worry, it’s not dementia, it’s just a natural slowing down in those areas of thought processing. Things like multitasking and maintaining attention long term will also slow down. So, yeah, you’re going to be forgetting some things, but that does NOT mean you’re “coming down with” dementia. Eventually you’ll remember where those keys got to, right? You can still learn new things and create new memories.
And A Couple Other Things
There may be other reasons why you’re forgetting things. Quite a few prescribed medications have side effects that can interfere with memory. Another huge cause of memory problems is stress. I know this one personally! Being under a huge load of stress causes a release of a particular hormone called “cortisol.” Not only does this chemical head straight to your brain causing overeating and weight gain, it can also cause problems with creating short term memories. Luckily, these are only temporary. Once these issues are corrected, your brain goes back to normal!
What’s The Difference?
Here’s the difference. Even though you’re forgetting some things, it’s only your working memory. Your long term memory remains intact. You can eventually recall the information that you were looking for. Breathing a sigh of relief as you do I’m sure. And while you’re thinking may be slowing down it’s not impacting your quality of life. You’re just taking things a little slower these days. These are not the signs of dementia.
This Is Not Normal
How is dementia is different from the normal aging process? It affects the person’s quality of life. The very first signs of dementia can be difficult to detect. They are subtle and slow in making their appearance. At first , it’s just a couple things every now and then. Your Mom forgot you visited with her yesterday. Then she tries to make excuses saying “Oh. That’s right. I’ve been so busy I forgot.” This is short term memory loss. This is not normal aging. So people ignore these symptoms due to fear.
Pay Attention
If you’re worried about your parent or significant other there is a reason for it. Your subconscious mind just perked up and is waving a red flag! Something they said or did triggered a vague thought in your head saying – that’s not right, is it? You start to question yourself – did that really happen that way? Pay attention to these signs. Because they are so subtle you can miss them very easily. However, they might just be what you need to get an early diagnosis. The earlier you can get a confirmed diagnosis the more effective the treatment will be.
Watch For These Signs
If you suspect something might be going on, there is something you can do to get a better idea. Pay closer attention to daily activities and start watching for clues like this:
- Getting lost in familiar places – you go to your Mom’s favorite grocery store and suddenly she doesn’t know how to find the exit
- Odd behaviors – you arrive to take your Dad to his MD appointment and his clothes are on in reverse order (underwear on the outside of his slacks)
- Forgetting recent events – you just saw your parent yesterday but they don’t remember
- Personality changes – your husband starts yelling at you for stealing all the money out of the bank account when you obviously did nothing of the kind.
- Changes in eating – you notice a weight loss that worries you, when asked if they are eating properly the common answer is “I’m not hungry.” or “I needed to lose weight anyway.”
Get Diagnosed
You need to make an appointment with the doctor. Let them know what’s been going on. They can perform that will determine if you or your loved one has dementia. It might just be normal aging. The sooner you get this confirmed the better off everyone will be. Studies show that the sooner you start treatment, the more effective it will be. This may mean a longer life lived as close to normal as possible. Don’t you and your loved one deserve that?
