What Is Dementia?
Dementia is not a specific disease, but rather a term used to describe a range of symptoms related to a decline in memory and other cognitive skills that impair a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases, followed by vascular dementia, which is a form of dementia associated with the aftermath of a stroke. Other forms of dementia may be reversible, including some thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies (e.g., vitamin B12 deficiency). Dementia is caused by damage to the brain cells, which interferes with sufferers' ability to communicate, impairing normal thinking, behavior and feelings.
Five million Americans, or roughly 1 in 9 people older than 65, suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Almost two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients are women. While symptoms of can vary greatly, at least two of the following must be significantly impaired for a person to have dementia: memory, communication and language, ability to focus and pay attention, reasoning and judgement, or visual perception.
Am I At Risk?
Some risk factors cannot be changed, including age and family history. But other risk factors can be mitigated by changes in lifestyle and diet, including:
● Alcohol consumption
● Blood pressure
● Cholesterol
● Depression
● Diabetes
● High estrogen levels
● Homocysteine blood levels
● Obesity
● Smoking
Is It Dementia?
People with dementia typically have problems with short-term memory, such as keeping track of a purse or wallet, remembering to pay bills or keep appointments, or getting lost when traveling out of their familiar neighborhoods. Most forms of dementia are progressive, with symptoms that start out as minor errors that become progressively more serious, so many sufferers make excuses for early behavior, such as old age or simple forgetfulness, and symptoms aren’t addressed until the disease or cause is in a more advanced state. Even for incurable diseases, early detection is essential: It allows patients to get the maximum benefit from existing treatments or enroll in clinical trials and can offer them time to make a plan for the future.
The following 10 symptoms may be early warning signs of dementia. If you exhibit any of the following, a physician can conduct a range of cognitive tests to determine whether or not you may be suffering from dementia:
Memory Loss That Disrupts Daily Life
We all misplace our keys once in awhile or forget to turn off the stove burner or oven after finishing a meal. But memory loss that is disruptive to our daily lives is the most common warning sign of dementia. According to the Mayo Clinic, examples of this include forgetting recently learned information, relying heavily on reminder notes or electronic aids to remember appointments or important events, or asking for the same information over and over again.
Difficulty Communicating or Finding Words
Struggling to find the right word in a conversation isn’t necessarily something to worry about, but people suffering from dementia have greater difficulty in conversations or with vocabulary than they previously did. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and not be able to continue it, forget what was being discussed, or repeat themselves unnecessarily. They may also regularly have difficulty finding the correct word or call something, or someone, by the wrong name.
Problems with Disorientation
We’ve all experienced the disappointment of spending part of the day thinking it’s Friday, only to remember later that it’s only, in fact, Thursday. Dementia patients have a greater difficulty with disorientation in place and time. They may lose track of dates or seasons or forget where they are or how they got there.
Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks
Your favorite hobby is like riding a bicycle; it becomes second nature. However, for a patient with dementia, even the most familiar tasks can be a challenge. Directions to a favorite restaurant become jumbled, or the rules of a favorite game become unfamiliar. If you or a loved one begins struggling with common tasks, this may be an early warning sign of dementia.
Challenges in Planning or Solving Problems
The hectic pace of daily life and work or home stresses can sometimes make concentrating on other activities more of a challenge. However, a person with dementia may have difficulty remembering and following a favorite recipe, or she may have difficulty formulating and following plans, such as the layout for an annual spring vegetable garden or completing a woodworking project, when this was previously a regular hobby.
Trouble Understanding Visual Images and Spatial Relationships
Vision problems and spatial relationships are another early sign of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s. Patients may walk past a mirror and think that someone else is in the room, or not recognize themselves in the mirror. They may also have difficulty judging distance or determining color contrast, which can lead to problems with driving.
Misplacing Things and Losing the Ability to Retrace Steps
We’ve all lost our keys or set something down in an unusual place when we’re busy or distracted, but dementia sufferers find themselves putting things in strange places (e.g., putting keys in the refrigerator) and are then unable to retrace their steps to find them. They may accuse others of stealing things that they’ve lost.
Decreased or Poor Judgment
Dementia sufferers are prone to making poor decisions, especially where they would not have previously. A formerly frugal person may give large sums of money to a telemarketer. A previously clean person may begin letting their home or garden go untended, or she may stop paying attention to personal hygiene.
Withdrawal from Work or Social Activities
As we get older, it’s common to limit our hobbies and social activities. We’re tired, or begin having difficulty because of health problems like arthritis. However, a person with dementia may begin withdrawing from social activities for other reasons, such as having difficulty remembering how to complete the tasks associated with various hobbies, or withdrawing from friends to hide the changes they are experiencing, such as difficulty with conversations or remembering names or important events.
Changes in Mood or Personality
We’ve all heard the cliché “grumpy old men.” While our personalities and general temperament may change as we age, a person suffering from dementia may become anxious, irritable or depressed as they struggle to cope with their changes in ability. They may become angry or confused when in social situations or locations outside their comfort zones.
The Role of Stress in Female Dementia
According to a 2014 study conducted in Sweden, women who have long-term stress and anxiety or who are less social in middle age, can double their risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Study investigator Dr. Lena Johansson says that women who are concerned have steps they can take to minimize risk.
“Be aware of severe and long-standing stress symptoms if you have long-standing problems with sleep, worry, anxiety and moodiness,” she explains. “Do what you can to lower the stress with lifestyle changes, physical activities and cognitive therapy.”