The way a person walks can be an early warning sign of dementia. Having trouble lifting your legs, making navigating stairs difficult, is one of these signs. As is a shuffling walk.
Dementia affects different people in different ways, says Alzheimer Scotland. How their illness affects them depends on which areas of their brain are most damaged.
“Things like slips, trips and falls might become more common,” the association added, according to HuffPost. Other, lesser-known warning signs of dementia include:
• Struggling with timekeeping, or not being able to read an analog clock.
• Losing sight.
• Sensory issues, like struggling with depth perceptions, loud noises, or changes to the sense of taste or smell.
• Hallucinations.
If think you or a loved one might have dementia, seek medical help as soon as possible. In addition, the Alzheimer’s Association suggests consulting your physician if you notice any of these 10 classic, early signs and symptoms of dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life. One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s disease, especially in the early stages, is forgetting learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events, asking the same questions over and over, and increasingly relying on memory aids such as notes or electronic devices.
- Difficulty solving problems. Some people with dementia may find it hard to follow a plan or work with numbers. For example, they may have problems following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills.
- Familiar tasks become challenging. They may have trouble driving to a familiar location or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
- Confusion with time or place. People living with Alzheimer’s can lose track of dates, seasons, and the passage of time. Sometimes they forget where they are or how they got there.
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. Some people experience vision problems with Alzheimer's disease, which makes it difficult to balance or read. They may also have trouble judging distances and determining color or contrast, which makes driving challenging.
- Face new challenges speaking and writing. The Alzheimer’s Association says that some individuals with Alzheimer’s disease may have trouble following or joining a conversation.
- Misplacing things or putting them into unusual places. A person living with Alzheimer’s disease may misplace objects and are unable to find them. They may often accuse others of stealing from them.
- Lack of judgment. Individuals may make bad decisions or even forget to keep themselves clean and appropriately dressed.
- Withdrawal from social activities and work. Isolation from other people can be an early warning sign of Alzheimer's disease, says Health.
- Changes in mood and personality. A person with Alzheimer’s disease can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, with friends, or when out of their comfort zone.