More than 55 million people across the world have dementia. Dementia affects your memory, thinking, and even your behavior, and in many cases, it means you should not live alone. Many people who receive a dementia diagnosis live in an assisted living community. Assisted living communities provide the trained care required as well as amenities and services that can enhance the lives of those with memory loss.
Some early warning signs of dementia include memory loss, confusion, misplacing things, and trouble completing tasks. When these begin to appear, it’s time to see a doctor.
Here are some of the early warning signs of dementia.
Early Warning Signs of Dementia Include Memory Loss
When you begin to forget significant life events – things like birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and even major holidays – it’s one of the early warning signs of dementia. As one of the most common signs, you will begin to forget even new information you received within the past few hours or days.
Dementia care can assists people who remember things that happened 50 years ago, but don’t remember their breakfast meal or what time they got up. In caring for the elderly, people will help you with basic memory activities.
Confusion
Confusion is one of the types of dementia that causes you to forget where you are at any given moment. You might be sitting at a wedding reception and forget everyone in the room or not know the occasion.
Assisted living communities help people with confusion issues as part of dementia care. Forgetting where you are can often lead you to wander off to another place, which can be dangerous.
Misplacing Things
You might forget where you put your keys or your grocery list from time to time, but constantly misplacing things is a type of dementia that affects many patients.
You might need dementia care if you constantly misplace items like the remote control, paperwork, and other everyday objects – even to the point of accusing people of stealing. This is a sign you may need the professional care from an assisted living community or memory care facility.
Trouble Completing Tasks
Caring for the elderly often includes dementia patients who can’t follow a recipe or play a card game. You might find it challenging to pay your bills or wash a load of laundry.
If you or a loved one has trouble completing tasks, it might be time for senior assisted memory care.
Repetition
People affected with dementia often repeat themselves. They might tell you a story over and over again or even complete the same task multiple times in one day.
When you have a conversation with someone affected by dementia, they might repeat the same questions or facts several times throughout the conversation. It is important to let your family physician know this in order to best diagnose and set a treatment plan.
Early Warning Signs of Dementia
Several early warning signs of dementia include memory loss, confusion, misplacing things, and repetition. Once you realize these early warning signs, it might be time for memory care. Caring for the elderly is essential when dementia begins to take a stronghold in their life.
If you or someone you love begins to see the early warning signs of dementia, call us and let us help. We can provide the proper care needed to give you peace of mind and the best care possible.