Dementia is one of the most devastating conditions affecting seniors, resulting in an eventual loss of cognitive functions. While there is no cure for dementia or the two leading diseases that cause dementia, Alzheimer’s and Lewy body dementia, there are treatments that can slow the effects and help make life more manageable. In order for these treatments to be effective, dementia must be caught early. That is why, as a North Carolina elder law attorneys, I want people in the community to know some of the more common warning signs of dementia.
Memory Loss
The most well-known component of dementia, and perhaps the most devastating to families, is memory loss. There is nothing more painful than watching a senior slowly fail to recognize grandchildren, children, or even a spouse. However, this level of memory loss typically occurs during the end stages of the disease. Early on, short-term memory loss is a key warning sign for dementia. A senior forgetting where they placed their keys or phone or what they had for breakfast earlier in the day are some of the things you should be on the lookout for.
Confusion
Confusion usually goes hand-in-hand with memory loss – if a senior with dementia cannot quite remember a family member or acquaintance, they will often become confused or agitated. Constant repetition fits in with confusion and memory loss, as seniors suffering from dementia will often repeat things they’ve said minutes after they’ve just said them. And, in addition to simply forgetting where they put something like keys or a phone, the senior may place those items where they don’t belong, like the refrigerator or the oven, and then forget they put them there in the first place.
Personality and Mood Shifts
Dementia can have a serious effect on a senior’s mood, ranging from depressive episodes to drastic personality shifts. Dementia is a cognitive impairment which affects one’s judgement, meaning it can cause a senior to act very different than they have in the past. Monitoring mood and personality for shifts and changes is a good exercise if you suspect a senior to have dementia.
Difficulty with Directions
If a senior is starting to get lost more and more often while driving, it’s a warning sign that they may have dementia – and that driving is a concern. Getting lost in familiar neighborhoods and not knowing where familiar landmarks are located are key warning signs, but so is a situation where the senior has difficulty following directions related to a task or job.
If you are currently caring for a senior who has dementia, or if you have seen some of these warning signs in an older family member, please contact us to set up a consultation with a North Carolina elder law attorneys to find out what options you have for approaching this disease and how to get your loved one’s affairs in order before he or she loses the ability to sign legal documents.
This article is provided by Dennis J. Toman, CELA, founder of The ElderLaw Firm in Greensboro, North Carolina – one of North Carolina’s TOP Elder Law and Estate Planning Law Firms. Attorney Toman and his firm are Members of the National ElderCare Matters Alliance and have a Featured Listing on ElderCareMatters.com – America’s National Directory of Elder Care / Senior Care Resources for Families.
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