What Are the 15 Most Common Signs of Dementia?

People with dementia tend to have problems with short-term memory. They may remember things from long ago but forget what happened this morning. Memory distortions also occur. People with dementia may confuse people in their memories, or combine two or more memories. Sometimes, they think an old memory is a new one. Memory issues are an early sign of dementia.

As people develop dementia, their communicative ability may deteriorate. They develop problems with vocabulary and must repeatedly hunt for words during a conversation. Over time, some people find communicating difficult enough that they participate less in conversations.

Dementia tends to alter an individual's mood. Someone with dementia may be jovial and cheery one second and deeply morose the next. Some also develop depression. This unpredictability of mood is usually accompanied by a change in general disposition and personality traits. For instance, a shy individual may suddenly seem very uninhibited. This occurs because the individual is losing neurons in certain parts of the brain. Changes depend on which area of the brain is affected.

When dementia advances, people may say and do things that seem irrational or based on faulty logic. For instance, they might bathe with extremely cold water when they are feeling mildly warm and catch a cold. They might stash away things in strange nooks and corners, and give strange explanations when asked about their behavior.

Dementia causes disorientation of time, place and circumstance in most patients. They tend to be confused about what day or year it is, are unaware of the passage of day and night, and can lose track of what they're doing. [or example, affected individuals may forget what they ate for breakfast that day or become confused in familiar surroundings. This aspect of dementia only worsens over time.

Individuals with dementia lose their comprehension ability rapidly. They may not understand what is happening and ask the same questions over and over. Some have difficulty telling time, following instructions, reading, and writing. In the initial stages, a low degree of incomprehension can be misattributed to inattentiveness.

Having dementia also affects physical movement. As motor control gradually decreases, individuals may begin walking with a stoop or leaning to one side. They may be more prone to accidents such as stumbling and falling due to balance issues and disorientation.

Individuals with dementia often stop practicing rigorous self-care and hygiene as the disease progresses. They may not want to bathe or wear clean clothes and might disregard cluttered or dirty living environments.

Over time, people with dementia can lose interest in eating. They may adopt unhealthy habits such as skipping meals or spitting out food. A caregiver can make sure people with dementia continue to eat properly, to avoid malnutrition.

Impaired judgment causes loss of social skills in people with dementia. They may behave and speak inappropriately in the company of others, often offending or even frightening other people.

Many individuals with dementia experience a phenomenon known as "wandering." They may wander aimlessly, often without a clear sense of direction or purpose. Wandering can lead to getting lost even in familiar surroundings, which poses safety concerns.

As dementia progresses, individuals may experience incontinence, which includes both urinary and fecal incontinence. There may be medical reasons for this, like an enlarged prostate or constipation, or it can occur because the person no longer has the ability to react quickly or remember when they have the urge to go. This can be emotionally distressing for the person with dementia and can be challenging for caregivers to manage.  

Some individuals with dementia may exhibit increased agitation and, in some cases, aggression. This change in behavior can be triggered by confusion, frustration, or feeling threatened. It's essential for caregivers to provide a safe and supportive environment to manage these symptoms effectively.

Dementia can affect a person's ability to taste and smell, leading to a preference for sweet or salty foods and a dislike for familiar, once-favorite dishes. This can make meal planning and nutrition more challenging. Changes in sense of smell can also be dangerous as they may no longer be able to smell smoke or food rotting. Caregivers should make sure smoke alarms are installed and have working batteries and clean old food out of the refrigerator and pantry.

Some individuals with dementia may develop hoarding tendencies, accumulating a large number of items, often without any clear reason. They may fear losing something important or find a sense of comfort in being surrounded by things. Addressing hoarding in people with dementia is a safety issue. This behavior can create clutter and safety hazards in their living spaces or attract pests that can make the space unsanitary.