As our parents age, they tend to forget things or sometimes struggle to complete their sentences. These may be signs of dementia.
Dementia is a condition that affects our thinking, memory, reasoning, personality, mood, and even behaviour. The decline in mental function interferes with our daily life and activities. However, spotting the signs of this degenerative disease is important as a diagnosis can help us understand and manage the condition better.
Causes of dementia
There are various causes of dementia, which result from the degeneration of neurons or brain cells that cause disturbances in the body. Several other conditions can cause dementia, including diseases of the brain. The most common causes are Alzheimer’s and vascular diseases. Some of the more common causes of dementia include:
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Side effects of medications
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Structural brain disorders like normal pressure hydroculture hydrocephalus and subdural hematoma
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Exposure to toxins like lead
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Metabolic disorders like thyroid, deficiency of vitamin B12, and liver issues
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Tumours or infections of the brain
How do you identify dementia?
While dementia affects people in different ways, a few general signs to be aware of, include:
People with dementia often have difficulty remembering things that happened in the past. People with this condition may forget things that happened earlier in the day or the last few days.
However, short-term memory loss does not always mean that our loved one has dementia, as there can be many causes as well. Dementia interferes with our brain’s ability to function. Here are four key symptoms that are common in people with dementia.
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Forgetting words: While it is normal to forget words from time to time due to various reasons, those with dementia forget simple words that they would usually use quite easily. This happens because of memory loss; the patient starts to replace that word with something else, and it all gets mixed up.
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Disorientation: Experts say disorientation is a common symptom of dementia when people forget what day it is or what time of day it is. Getting lost when driving or walking in familiar areas and being unable to recall the date may cause disorientation.
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Not able to perform familiar tasks: One of the earliest signs of dementia is not being able to do daily tasks or chores that one has been performing easily in the past.
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Impaired judgment: A person with dementia may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. They may not be able to make the simplest decisions.
In case one observes any of the above signs in their aging parents, especially when they stay alone, it is vital to ensure that there is an attendant with the parent. Having an attendant can help manage this condition. Companionship can help our aging parents feel better, valued, and cared for. The Livlong 365 attendant services for the elderly have below benefits:
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Assistance with Medication Intake
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Helping prevent accidental falls
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Companionship
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Assistance with mobility
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Food and Fluid intake assistance
Being attentive to the signs mentioned above and ensuring our parents are not alone can help reduce the chances of them developing conditions like dementia as they age.
