Signs someone has dementia can be difficult to spot. Dementia is a very strange mental disease, and sometimes people mistake it for the normal symptoms of old age. Because it's such a drastic change in behavior, a lot of the time it's hard to tell if someone is suffering from dementia or just day-to-day experiencing a little forgetfulness. When you are worried that your loved one may have dementia, you want to get them help as soon as possible. There are signs someone has dementia that can help you identify if they need to be evaluated or treated.

It's helpful if you can get someone in your life that understands how frightening and frustrating it can be to suffer from this disease. Many people don't realize just how severe it can be until they are faced with it themselves.

Signs of Dementia

If you do have someone close to you suffering from dementia, there are several things you can do to try to detect early on, so you can do something about it. Some of the more common signs someone might have dementia include: memory loss, changes in personality, depression, irritability, and suicidal thoughts. You should also be aware that some of these signs can also be symptoms of other disorders, so it's important to not rule anything out first.

When you are concerned that someone you know may have dementia, the best thing to do is to get them to a doctor as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be difficult to determine whether someone is suffering from dementia. Oftentimes, the only way to really determine if someone is developing dementia is to undergo a brain function examination. This test will give doctors a better idea of where someone is at, what their mental status is, and how mild or severe their issue might be. Once you know whether or not you need to get help for dementia, you can start looking at treatment options.

Many times, simply taking someone to a specialist will help. For example, if you think that a person may have Alzheimer's Disease, a professional may be able to confirm this diagnosis with an exam. From there, they can help find a treatment plan that will allow your loved one to live as independently as possible. Additionally, specialists often have the skills to treat memory issues and other cognitive problems. It's important to get this assessment as soon as possible, so that treatment options can be explored.

Tips to Help Those With Dementia

If you are still uncertain as to whether or not someone you know has dementia, there are some other indicators that can provide you with more information. There are several behaviors and physical changes that can indicate that someone is suffering from mild dementia. Signs of memory loss, for instance, can occur due to emotional stress. The individual may start to forget things or behave differently. If you suspect someone you love is starting to exhibit these symptoms, make an appointment with a physician.

As for changes in personality, it may be possible for someone to become less attached to things. They may seem to lose interest in things that they typically use on a daily basis. When this occurs, it can be difficult to determine just how severe the loss is. Sometimes just a change in the routine can be enough for dementia to set in. It's important to keep the patient and family members informed of progress and setbacks.

One of the most obvious signs someone has dementia is when they begin to make decisions out of the blue. Someone may suddenly become uncooperative and reluctant to cooperate with others, which can make them appear as though they don't care about the

preferences of others. This is not always the case, but it is certainly a common characteristic of dementia. If your loved one is acting strangely, seek medical attention right away.

When looking at signs of dementia, it's important to remember that a patient can show these signs without showing full-blown dementia. It's not uncommon for a patient to exhibit some of these symptoms and then pass them off to being related to another illness. In addition, symptoms may only appear once or twice in a person's lifetime. For this reason, medical professionals use several screening tools to detect dementia in patients. If you or a loved one display some or all of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.