The most common early dementia symptoms are problems with memory. For example, a person might forget where they are or have trouble following a recipe or paying bills.
They may also put things in strange places or lose them and have difficulty retracing steps. This can lead to them accusing others of stealing when it’s really their own behaviour that is changing.
1. Difficulty with Everyday Tasks
One of the earliest signs of dementia is difficulty with everyday tasks such as cooking, driving or recording a TV programme. This can also include needing help to use a microwave or remembering how to play a favourite game.
Changes in judgement or decision-making are also early dementia symptoms. For example, someone who is usually careful with money may start giving money to people they do not know.
Difficulty with daily complex tasks is often the first sign of dementia and this can lead to frustration, anger and agitation. People with dementia can also become easily confused or frightened in familiar surroundings and can sometimes show changes in mood such as suspicion, fear, depression or anxiety. Putting things in places they shouldn’t be is a common symptom as well as forgetting where they are or not knowing the season or date.
2. Difficulty Following Storylines
Having difficulty following storylines is one of the classic early dementia symptoms. This occurs because the brain begins to lose its ability to process and store information, making it more difficult to keep track of daily tasks and remember people or events.
This problem also makes it hard to follow complex rules or directions, work with numbers, balance a check book, or follow recipes. It’s also common to forget where you put the car keys or what day it is and to have trouble following conversations and TV programs.
Some people with dementia develop extreme rituals or compulsions that seem strange to family and friends. For instance, a person might collect items obsessively or repeatedly ask the same question. They may also become irritable, easily distressed, or fearful of change.
3. Difficulty Sense of Direction
Sense of direction depends on spatial maps and compass-like processes in the frontal and temporal lobes. When these areas degrade, the person loses their ability to keep track of where they are and how to get to familiar places.
People who forget where they are, or have difficulty navigating a familiar route or getting to a familiar destination, often start to show symptoms of dementia. It’s important to remember that these changes are not just a normal part of aging, and to seek medical help if you notice them.
Apathy and loss of interest are also common early dementia symptoms. Suddenly, your loved one may no longer enjoy their hobbies or spend time with friends. They may also begin to exhibit severe mood changes – from calm to tears and anger for no obvious reason.
4. Difficulty Understanding Visual Images and Spatial Relationships
When the occipital lobes of the brain become damaged, it’s harder to process visual information. This can make it difficult to read, or judge distances. You may notice them tripping over objects at home or dropping things more frequently.
While many people brush this symptom off as part of aging, it’s not normal. Often it’s the first sign of dementia.
Mood and personality changes are also common in the early stages of dementia. Your parent may become irritable, suspicious or withdrawn.
They may also experience rapid mood swings and lose interest in friends and family. They might be more afraid of going out and start to avoid leaving the house. This is a sign of depression or anxiety, which can be triggered by memory problems.
5. New Problems with Words in Speaking or Writing
While language functioning is often spared in early dementia, problems can arise when a person can no longer use the right words or find the words they want. This is called aphasia and it usually affects both expression (using the words they know) and comprehension.
If someone loses the ability to read social cues and starts saying hurtful or inappropriate things, this can be an early dementia sign. This is because the parts of the brain involved in understanding other people’s speech are affected by Alzheimer’s disease and aphasia.
While forgetting items is more common in later stages of dementia, if your parent or loved one begins to regularly misplace things and can’t retrace their steps to find them, this could be an early dementia sign. You may also notice a decrease in their grooming habits, such as refusing to shower or wearing the same clothes all day long.
