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What are some common signs of dementia? Dementia causes many difficulties for the person who has it and for the caregivers of persons with dementia. Many of the problems are caused by memory loss. Some common signs of dementia are listed below. Not everyone who has dementia will have all of these signs. - Recent memory loss. All of us forget things for a while and then remember them later. People showing signs of dementia often forget things, but they never remember them. - Difficulty Problems with language. People who have signs of dementia may forget simple words or use the wrong words, making it difficult to understand what they want. - Poor judgment. Even a person who doesn't have dementia might get distracted. But people who are displaying signs of dementia can forget simple things, like forgetting to put on a coat before leaving the house in cold weather. - Performing familiar tasks. People who are showing signs dementia might boil water for tea but forget to serve it. They might even forget that they turned the stove on. - Time and place disorientation. People with signs of dementia may get lost on their own neighborhoods. They may forget how they got to a familiar place and how to get back home. - Problems with abstract thinking. Anybody might have trouble balancing a checkbook, but people who have dementia may forget what the numbers are and what has to be done with them. - Misplacing things. People who have dementia may put things in the wrong places. Then they will have trouble finding these things later. - Changes in mood. Everyone is moody at times, but people with dementia may have fast mood swings, going from calm to tears to anger in a few minutes without being provoked. - Personality changes. People who have dementia may have drastic changes in personality. They might become irritable, suspicious or fearful. - Loss of initiative. People who have dementia may become passive. They might not want to go places or see other people. What if I have any of these signs of dementia? Talk with your doctor. Your doctor can do tests to find out if your signs are caused by dementia. The sooner you know, the sooner you can talk to your doctor about treatment options. What if a family member has signs of dementia? If your family member has some of the signs of dementia, try to get him or her to go see a doctor. You may want to go along and talk with the doctor before your relative sees him or her. Then you can tell the doctor about the way your relative is acting without embarrassing your relative.
Article Source: http://www.new.citynewslive.com
Robert Kelly is a freelance writer from Fresno with an aging parent. If you have questions or are need more information regarding dementia, please visit DementiaGuide.com.
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