According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people worldwide have dementia and your loved one could be one of them. As this condition progresses, it’s necessary to get specialist care. But, sometimes, recognizing the signs in a loved one is hard.
Love helps us accept people despite their flaws, but sadly, this love can make it harder to identify the signs of memory issues. By knowing more about the signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, you’ll be better equipped to recognize the symptoms of these challenging conditions and make informed decisions about memory care in Luling.
Frequent Forgetfulness
While everyone gets a little forgetful sometimes, repeated lapses in memory are signs you shouldn’t ignore. Particularly if your loved one forgets things they used to be able to remember. Forgetting about important dates and appointments could be a sign of serious cognitive decline.
Another serious indicator that you shouldn’t ignore is when your loved one seems to forget about recent events. Usually, people with memory problems don’t realize these things are happening, so they may deny their forgetfulness. When you suspect memory issues, you need to observe your loved one carefully and look out for the signs.
People with memory difficulties might also:
- Ask the same questions repeatedly.
- Repeat points about the same subjects without realizing it.
- Seem stuck in a loop, seemingly unaware it’s happening.
Problems With Daily Tasks
Another key sign that your loved one needs dementia support is when they struggle to complete daily tasks. This is especially problematic if these are tasks they used to excel at. For example, if your loved one used to be an accomplished cook, but now they can’t make something as basic as scrambled eggs without burning it, it could indicate cognitive decline.
These difficulties can also result in them neglecting routine household tasks. Things like cleaning up and keeping things organized get a lot more difficult when you have memory disease. If your loved one’s house is usually spotless and meticulously organized, but you’re noticing it getting more and more chaotic, there may be something wrong.
Changes to Mood and Behavior
Sadly, these conditions don’t just make people forget, they can also cause fundamental changes to their personality. Memory problems might also be accompanied by increased anxiety or agitation. Sometimes these personality shifts are slow and gradual, which may make them harder to identify.
In other cases, you might see sudden and dramatic emotional shifts. If your loved one is normally calm and patient, but they suddenly start losing their temper over trivial things, it’s a serious red flag that you shouldn’t ignore.
While these personality changes are often negative, they can also cause drastic shifts in the opposite direction. If someone who tends to be distant and aloof starts being open and overtly loving, it might seem like a positive development, but unfortunately, it could also indicate cognitive decline.
They Struggle to Navigate Familiar Places
It’s a sign you should explore assisted living options if your loved one struggles to find their way around places they’re intimately familiar with. Someone who’s lived in the same neighborhood for decades shouldn’t be getting lost 10 minutes away from their house. In some cases, diseases like dementia can even make you feel lost in your own home.
This sudden unfamiliarity can quickly turn dangerous as your loved one could wander off. They could find themselves in places they’re genuinely unfamiliar with, meaning they’ll struggle to get home even when their sense of direction returns.
They Don’t Perceive Time Passing
While it’s normal to sometimes not know what day of the week it is, people with memory illnesses can get seriously confused about the passage of time. It’s not uncommon for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s to think they’re in a different month, season, or even year.
They Don’t Recognize People
One of the most difficult aspects of memory-related illness is that it can interfere with recognition. In the later stages, diseases like Alzheimer’s can prevent you from being able to recognize your closest family members. But, recognition problems tend to start small, and they won’t be so obvious in the early stages of disease.
It might begin with your loved one not recognizing family members they haven’t seen in a long time. This is more likely with children who have grown significantly since the last meeting, or with people who’ve significantly changed their appearance.
Safety Concerns at Home
One of the main reasons people look into elder care options for their loved ones is because they’re concerned about safety. Confusion over dates or forgetfulness can be ignored, but it’s difficult to brush it aside when your loved one puts themselves in danger.
For example, memory problems can cause people to leave appliances like stoves and ovens on. When left alone for hours, these appliances are a serious fire risk. Frequent falls or injuries your loved one can’t explain may also be a sign of significant impairment.
Difficulty Expressing Themselves
Memory issues can also make it difficult to communicate and express yourself clearly. Your loved one might seem like they’re struggling to find the right words, and their speech might seem nonsensical or bizarre.
Some might mask these issues by withdrawing from conversations, or they might seem as if they’re struggling to follow along with the things being said. If you notice these signs, it could be time to consider memory care in Luling.
Get Peace of Mind With Senior Living in Luling
Memory-related illnesses are some of the most challenging to handle. Those who suffer from them tend to deny there’s a problem, so it can be quite tempting to bury your head in the sand. This approach is a mistake as it can lead to serious safety concerns.
The right approach is to keep an eye out for these signs. As soon as you suspect something, you should contact memory care professionals who’ll provide crucial third-party insight.
Having memory problems doesn’t mean your loved one has to experience a poor quality of life. Here at SummerHouse Ashton Manor, we understand how to care for these challenging conditions in an enriching, caring environment.
If you’re looking for reliable, trustworthy, and compassionate memory care in Luling, contact us today so we can discuss our senior care options.
