Dementia is a condition that causes cognitive function decline. There are different types of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease being the most common. Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and mixed dementia include the other forms of dementia. Other than aging, family history and brain damage are significant contributors to dementia.

Below is a list of some of the symptoms one may experience during the onset of early dementia:

1. Memory loss

Memory loss is one of the first signs of dementia. However, it may be overlooked during the early onset, especially in patients of advanced age. Those close to them, especially their spouses, may be first to notice the change in memory pattern due to how close they are.

2. Problem solving difficulties

A patient with dementia can suddenly forget the simplest things, including meal preparation or getting dressed, which they previously did with ease.

3. Confusion about time and place

Most dementia patients experience confusion about time and place. Many have trouble give a personal account of what they did during a particular hour. This may cause confusion with directions and patients can become lost on the way to and from formerly familiar destinations.

4. Challenges understanding visual information

A person with dementia can have a hard time interpreting any visual information presented to him or her. For instance, when given the task of differentiating naming an animal, such as a cat or dog, which they previously did with ease, they may experience a hard time. It may be close to impossible for most of them to interpret and analyze charts.

5. Speech issues

There are those times when everyone has forgotten the right wording to explain something. However, for those with dementia, even simple words tend to be a challenge. They may even forget to appropriate substitute words, such as their sentences appear as fragments and are quite hard to understand.

6. Misplacing personal items

A person with dementia may suddenly start forgetting the locations of things he or she sees daily. One may start by forgetting small things such as keys and wallets. There are those instances when they may even have a challenge identifying the items inside their wallets or purses.

7. Poor judgement

A person with dementia may start exhibiting poor judgement. The person may have a hard time making decisions relating to money. They may end up spending their entire savings on silly things because they feel like it. They may also have a problem distinguishing what best to wear according to the weather. They may opt for light clothes when it is freezing outside.

Dementia progression is typically gradual and most patients with dementia start exhibiting their symptoms after age 65. However, during the onset of dementia, it may be challenging to notice the more subtle symptoms, and often the first to note dementia patterns are spouses and loved ones.