7 Signs That a Loved One Might Be Suffering from Dementia That Many People Are Overlooking

Some cognitive changes may occur as we age, and this is completely normal and expected, says Dr. Noble; like being a little slower finding a word on the tip of your tongue or having a hard time paying attention. Dr. Chen adds that some other conditions, such as thyroid imbalances and vitamin B12 deficiencies, should also be known before jumping to conclusions. chronic alcohol abuse may cause similar symptoms. Dementia, on the other hand, causes significant changes in a person’s thinking and memory “to the point where they need help,” says Dr. noble (And again, there is often a consistent pattern of disturbing changes.)

Here are some potential red flags for dementia that most of us might not know to look for:

1. Driving problems (like getting more tickets or getting into more accidents)

Dr. “From what I tell my patients, driving is probably one of the most complex tasks we do every day,” says Noble. “There are a lot of cognitive skills involved with being behind the wheel that most of us aren’t even fully aware of,” he says; These include knowing where you want to go, general awareness of your surroundings (noting the weather, who is in your car, etc.). blind spot or pedestrians about to cross the road) and the capacity to react quickly to changes (for example, applying the brakes to avoid hitting another car).

Dr. If one of those skills isn’t 100%, “it becomes clear” there’s a problem, Noble says. This could look like running stop signs, getting more tickets, getting into an accident, or other unsafe driving behavior. (Other signs to look out for are: According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA) includes situations such as mixing the accelerator and brake pedals, sudden lane changes, multiple new dents or scratches on the vehicle, multiple near misses, or accelerating or slow driving. “When we hear these things in the office, we pay attention to them,” he says.

2. Uncharacteristic money problems

Financial troubles (late or missed bill payments, bad credit scores, etc.) can be one of the first noticeable symptoms of dementia. (Some research suggests that these problems can appear up to six years before a person is diagnosed.)

Dr. Managing money requires many different executive function skills, Chen says, including memory (like knowing when bills are due or knowing the PIN code for your debit card) and judgment (like being able to tell whether you can afford something). and organization. Dementia affects the brain’s ability to manage these skills, which can cause people to miss payments, engage in impulsive spending, gamble or be prone to fraud, he says. Other signs to look out for include numerous unopened or unpaid bills, overspending or new purchases, unexplained missing money from bank accounts, and/or trouble counting change or finding a tip.