Five lesser-known signs of Dementia
- Not enjoying certain foods anymore
“Sensory issues are not always recognised as dementia symptoms and as a result, are not often reported as such. These sensory issues could be increased sensitivity to noise, changes to smells and also the way that food tastes which may cause a loved one to not to enjoy food they might have used to.”
- Shuffling when walking
“You may start to notice subtle differences in how your loved one is moving, such as shuffling instead of lifting their legs when walking. Trips and falls may also become more common. Additionally, they may start to struggle with spatial awareness and depth perception which can impact how they move around their surroundings.”
- Using the wrong word in a sentence
“Struggling to find words is another lesser-known symptom of dementia. This can look like stuttering when trying to get a sentence out, stopping a sentence mid-way through or jumbling up similar words such as saying ‘jumper’ when they mean ‘jacket’. This is known as ‘aphasia’ and can also affect names not just generic words.
- Being late
“Losing track of time can be an early sign of dementia that can sometimes go under the radar. A clear sign that your loved one is suffering from this symptom is that they start being late to appointments and social meetings. It can be due to memory loss or an inability to read an analogue clock anymore.”
- A change of handwriting in cards
“Starting to have an issue with reading and writing, where the person hasn’t previously had a problem, is often an indicator of dementia. This could be seen through a change in handwriting in birthday cards for example.”
Three common signs of Dementia
- Forgetting names and faces
“Whilst dementia isn’t just forgetfulness, it is the most common sign that someone could potentially be suffering from dementia. It can also likely be one of the first signs of dementia when your loved one potentially starts forgetting the names and faces of other family members and their friends that they previously had no issues recalling.”
- Getting lost in familiar places
“Your loved ones getting lost in familiar places is a very common sign of dementia, and it’s important to pay close attention to this as it can potentially be dangerous. Examples of this can include going to the shops and not being able to get home, or not knowing the way to other people’s houses, despite walking the same routes for many years.”
- Misplacing items
“Losing items around the house or forgetting where they store certain things, such as where they keep their crockery in the kitchen is a very common sign of dementia. One way you can help your loved one through this is by labelling drawers and cupboards to help them know where they keep certain items.”
Michael shares: “If you start to notice any of these signs in your loved ones, try and have a conversation with them about what you have noticed and suggestbooking a doctor’s appointment to discuss the symptoms. This will help guide you and your loved one with how to move forward.
“At this point, it is also a good idea to start having conversations on care options that are available and exploring alternative living arrangements. As your lovedone’s symptoms worsen and they struggle to do more and more, a residential care home may be able to give them the support and care that they require.”
