7 Early Warning Signs of Dementia
It’s important to be on the lookout for early warning signs of dementia in your loved ones. Noticing the signs early can help prevent accidents and ensure they are getting the expert care they need as the condition progresses. With the help of AARP, our memory care team in New Jersey has identified seven early warning signs to look out for.
1. Repetition – Because dementia conditions affect short-term memory, one of the earliest signs of these conditions is regularly repeating a story or question. While forgetting or repeating things occasionally is normal, someone with dementia will tend to forget things more frequently.
2. Difficulty with daily tasks – People with dementia find it difficult to remember everyday activities or finish normal daily tasks. They are likely to struggle to track monthly bills, find it difficult to cook a meal or take much longer than usual to complete a task. This can be quite concerning, as it can lead to dangerous situations – for example, forgetting that a pan is on a hot stove and starting a fire.
3. Difficulty communicating – Another early sign of dementia is trouble with normal communication, including following a conversation or telling a story. They may trail off without realizing it, stop abruptly while talking, and be unable to resume, or have trouble remembering names, words, and places.
4. Misplacing things – It’s common for people in the early stages of dementia to lose items and misplace them. Their house keys may be in the refrigerator, their sweater in a kitchen cabinet, or their groceries in the bathroom. They may be worried someone is stealing from them and have difficulty retracing their steps or remembering where they last saw something.
5. Personality changes – People with early dementia symptoms may appear confused, frightened, anxious, or easily upset. They may withdraw from normal social activities, be resistant to activities they usually enjoy, and become depressed or moody.
6. Visio-spatial problems – In some cases, dementia can present with vision problems, especially in terms of judging the distance between objects. They may also have trouble reading, difficulty balancing, or struggle to differentiate between colors and contrast. This can be dangerous because it’s easy to misidentify medications, make financial miscalculations, get lost while walking around, or have traffic accidents in this state.
7. Difficulty with change – Predictable routines are reassuring and feel safe for dementia patients, making them much more resistant to change. An early sign of dementia can be a high level of resistance to change, whether it is a small thing (meeting at a different café to your usual one for lunch, or buying a different brand of coffee) or a large one (like moving into assisted living, rearranging home furniture, etc.)
Exceptional memory care in Sussex County, NJ
Bristol Glen is one of the leading senior living communities in Sussex County. We offer a beautiful and welcoming space for seniors who need additional care and assistance to live a full and abundant life. Our nursing team is compassionate, fully trained, and ready to assist with specialized dementia support for seniors, as well as managing strokes, diabetes, and other medical conditions.
For more information on Bristol Glen and how we are different from other senior living communities offering memory care in NJ, our services, and how we support independent style living for seniors, please contact us today or visit our website at
