Forgetfulness can be a normal part of the aging process. If you have difficulty remembering something but it comes to you later, that’s not a problem. But forgetting recent events and conversations or not finding the right word could be signs of a more severe problem. 

Dementia is the common disease most older adults face and can have a lasting impact on the family’s daily life. Dementia is a brain disease that affects memory and thinking. It’s not a normal part of aging, but it is more common in older adults. Dementia interferes with daily life and activities. You may know the person, but he may not recognize you or remember important information about his life. And it can happen to anyone regardless of education or intelligence. Dementia is unlikely to be cured, but treatment can help with symptoms.

So learning to spot the common symptoms of dementia in and recording the early stages of dementia can make a huge difference. In addition, the things you observe in your loved ones could give helpful insight to the physician, which can lead to a more accurate diagnosis.

Warning Signs That Your Elderly Parents May be Battling with Dementia

1. Memory Loss that Disrupts Daily Life

Dementia causes people to forget recent events (such as what they had for dinner last night). They might lose their train of thought, especially if you try to talk about a topic that wasn’t part of the original conversation. It may be hard to follow discussions or television shows. Dementia can make it difficult to remember information needed for daily tasks such as following recipes, balancing checkbooks, or reading medicine labels.

2. Changes in Personality or Mood

Most people with dementia have mood changes, but when these changes happen and how quickly they occur are vital signs of dementia. Depression is a common symptom of dementia, and it’s usually sudden. Your loved one might appear depressed, angry, or withdrawn but can’t explain the cause. She might be frustrated and feel confused for no reason.

3. Problems with Planning

People with dementia may have difficulty planning for the future. They may not know where their things are when they need them and often forget what they’re going to do next week or next month. Dementia can make it impossible for someone to plan long-term projects such as purchasing a house or traveling. It also makes it hard to make plans for his care.

4. Challenges in Problem-Solving

People with dementia may no longer be able to solve problems in logical ways. They can’t easily anticipate their actions’ consequences. Family members may not notice these changes in the early stages of dementia because they happen gradually and are usually accompanied by forgetfulness. As more areas of the brain are affected, it becomes more challenging to function in everyday life.

5. Difficulties with Paying Attention

Dementia causes a decreased ability to pay attention and concentrate. For example, your loved one will become easily distracted even if nothing is out of the ordinary or bored easily in social situations. It can make everyday tasks like planning a party or grocery shopping difficult, or even impossible for them. It also makes it hard to follow conversations or television shows, which gives huge problems in many people developing dementia.

6. Difficulty with Reasoning and Judgment

People with dementia make mistakes in judgment. As a result, they may respond to situations differently than before and might not recognize that their behavior is inappropriate. For example, you may notice that your loved one takes her shoes off to go swimming in winter, even though it’s not part of her usual routine. She might also take a shower without putting soap on her body. And when you ask why they did such behavior, they get easily annoyed and insist that they forget things.

7. Trouble Maintaining Personal Hygiene and Appearance

People with dementia may have difficulty caring for their appearance or maintaining their hygiene. It could involve not washing or shaving when they usually would or forgetting to brush their teeth. As a result, they may show disinterest in personal appearance and neglect grooming.

8. Changes in Eating or Drinking

People with dementia might forget to eat at regular times, or they might overeat. They may forget that they just ate a few hours ago and ask for more food. And they could ignore their preferences when it comes to the taste or texture of food. You might notice a decline in the quality of their hygiene because of altered eating patterns.

9. Changes in Sleep and Wakefulness

People with dementia may sleep irregularly, confusing or frightening the person and family members who care for them since they may not recognize this behavior change. In addition, the person with dementia could have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, though she’s already tired from staying up too late the night before. She also might sleep much more than usual, which could make her exhausted and unable to be active in the daytime.

Suppose you noticed some of these signs in your elderly parents, possible that they are already battling with dementia. But again, you have to consult your elderly loved one to a doctor for confirmation results. However, communicating with them to get help is not an easy task to do. Most adults would argue that there is nothing wrong with them even if the signs show a problem. Well, you don’t have to force your loved ones. Instead, you have to do it slowly until they are convinced that getting help can slow down the progression of the disease.

How to Encourage Elderly Parents to Get Help?

1. Help Them Understand What Dementia Is

Older adults may not know what dementia is. They may not know that it is a disease that can affect their memory and behavior. Some may think that they have done something wrong, which is causing them to act differently. So, you need to help your loved one understand dementia through reading or talking with them.

2. Do Not Be Impatient

When you talk to your parent about getting help, do not be impatient. Don’t force them to accept the condition and get help. It would help if you spent time with them to feel comfortable talking about their situation. While doing these, it is also advisable to take some ways to help seniors deal with anxiety and depression by introducing them to new activities and exposing them to activities they enjoy before.

3. Help Them Understand That Getting Help Is Good for Them

Some older adults tend to think that getting help is not suitable for them. So you have to explain to them why they need to get help. You have to tell them that it will make you happier knowing that their health condition is getting better and having someone to take care of them. 

4. Start Small

Start by involving them in activities, like taking on daily trips or visiting the doctor. Even though it is difficult for some people to accept it, your loved one will eventually understand that getting help is not a bad thing at all. Finally, they will let you know that they are ready to accept the condition and get help.

This article details all the warning signs that your loved one might be experiencing dementia, which is a disease affecting memory. If you notice any of these signs in your elderly parents, you need to communicate with them and convince them that getting help will not harm their health condition. In the meantime, try to keep them active by involving them in small activities like taking a walk or visiting the doctor.