How to Tell if Your Parent Has Dementia

We all occasionally forget a person’s name, where we parked our car, or whether we locked it or left it open. These lapses in memory happen to all of us, but they do not imply we are suffering from a form of dementia, like Alzheimer’s disease.However, no longer being able to do our job like we used to, forgetting how to pay bills, how to get back home or how to use a television suggests the presence of a more significant medical condition such as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or a type of dementia like Alzheimer’s disease.

While there are clear diagnostic criteria to dementia, some situations and signs of impairment can provide enough evidence to warrant a medical assessment, keeping in mind that these signs can be due to other medical or non-medical issues. For the signs of impairment to be linked to dementia, they must represent a major change in behavior. If an older adult is experiencing challenges she or he has had for over 10 years, it is likely to be linked to dementia.

Here are examples of warning signs that can justify a medical assessment:

Difficulty doing familiar everyday tasks:

This can be taking care of personal hygiene or even simply driving. No longer being able to perform usual tasks can be a red flag for cognitive impairment.

Losing the concept of time, date, and place:

Getting confused about the time of day (e.g. confusing late afternoon with early morning) or not recalling the current month and year can be a sign of dementia. If a loved one forgets where they are or how they got to a location, this can further build a case for a cognitive assessment.

Language and communication issues:

Dementia can affect how the brain processes language. Difficulties with words that are less frequently used is normal with aging. It’s really when simpler words are lost that there is cause for concern. For example, if an older adult starts using generic words like “thing” to replace simple words like “car” or using a longer descriptor, like the “food heating machine” to say microwave.

Short-term memory loss

While it is one of the most notable symptoms of dementia, it doesn’t necessarily imply our parent is suffering from Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Mixing the names of people or having trouble finding the car keys doesn’t automatically mean a loved one has a cognitive impairment. If, however, a parent repeats information many times in a short time, doesn’t remember a child, or forgets an important date like their wedding day, it can suggest their short-term memory is impaired, an important sign of dementia.

Inability to do simple math

Not everyone can perform math easily, but if your parent can usually do mental math relatively easily and is suddenly having trouble doing a simple addition or completing other basic functions like balancing a bank account, it can be an indicator of a cognitive issue.

Significant change in judgment

A significant change in judgment and decision-making can be a warning sign for dementia. If your parent has always been a logical, risk-avert decision-maker, a change of behavior to a reckless, risk-taking demeanor can be the result of dementia.

Isolation

Withdrawing from family, friends, and other social activities can be the consequence of a loved one feeling like they lost the ability to interact as well as they used to. Social isolation is an important problem for older adults and can be associated by dementia.

The above signs tend to manifest themselves slowly and subtly. It is important to note that they do not automatically mean a parent is suffering from Alzheimer’s or a different type of dementia. If you do notice these behaviors in a loved one, it is time to schedule a doctor’s appointment to perform a formal assessment.