The Difference Between Age Related Changes and Dementia

It is normal to occasionally forget someone’s name, task, or an event or even have trouble finding the right word. It is also normal to forget details of an event that occurred a year ago.

Dementia on the other hand will cause symptoms that interfere with the ability to complete daily tasks. It is a loss of mental abilities, such as thinking, reasoning, learning, and understanding. These symptoms should never be ignored.

Don’t Ignore These Early Symptoms

You should contact your doctor right away if you or a loved one has the following early symptoms that point to dementia:

• Memory loss that impacts daily life, such as forgetting important events
• Problem solving difficulty, such as struggling to keep track of monthly bills
• Difficulty completing daily tasks, such as driving somewhere familiar
• Losing track of time and place, such as forgetting where you are in the present moment
• Vision problems, such as problems judging distance
• Language problems, such as difficulty following a conversation
• Misplacing items and putting them in unusual places
• Poor judgement, such as falling victim to phone scams
• Withdrawal from activities and hobbies
• Changes in mood and personality, such as being confused or suspicious

Decreasing Symptoms and Slowing Disease Progression

There is no cure for dementia. However, there are treatments available that can help decrease the symptoms of dementia and slow its course, including.