Early warning signs

The early signs of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia can be very subtle. They’re also different from person to person.

You may not have a strong feeling that something’s wrong. You might not even notice any early changes. Oftensomeone else notices them first.

Listed below are the most common early signs of dementia. If you notice any of these changes in yourselfor someone else notices them in youtalk to your doctor. The sooner you knowthe more you can do.

Memory loss

Everyone forgets things now and then. But it could be an early warning sign if you’re:

forgetting more often
forgetting things you used to easily rememberlike names and numbers
struggling to remember new things
becoming more repetitivelike asking the same question many times

Trouble doing familiar tasks

It’s normal to forget how to do something you usually do easilyjust for a moment.

But it’s an early warning sign if this gets worseor happens more often. This could be:

having trouble following the steps in preparing a meal
wondering if you already did something
getting lost in the middle of a tasklike housework
having trouble paying bills or remembering your PIN number

Confusion about time and place

It’s normal to get lostor unsure what day it isevery now and then. But it could be an early warning sign if this gets worseor happens more often. This could be:

having trouble finding your way to familiar places
sometimes being unsure how to get home
getting confused about what time or day it is.

Problems with language

We all have trouble finding the right word sometimes. But it could be an early warning sign if you start to:

forget simple words
use the wrong word
struggle to understand written words or what people are saying.

Problems with abstract thinking

Part of thinking is being able to picture and understand things you can’t see or touch. It could be an early warning sign if you’re having more than usual trouble with:

directionslike ‘north’ and ‘east’
the flow of timelike ‘before’ and ‘after’‘yesterday’ or ‘tomorrow’
understanding numbers and what to do with them.

Trouble with distance and location

We can usually tell how far away things are and which way to go to get there. It could be an early warning sign if you have more problems than usual with:

judging distance or direction when driving
reaching out for something but missing
putting things down in risky placeslike the very edge of a table.

Problems misplacing things

Anyone can temporarily misplace their wallet or keys. It could be an early warning sign if you have more than usual trouble with:

misplacing everyday objects
putting things in the wrong placelike your wallet in the fridge or food in the cutlery drawer
retracing your steps.

Changes in personality or behaviour

Everyone becomes sad or moody from time to timeand your personality can change as you get older. But it could be an early warning sign if you:

start having sudden mood swingslike going from calm to angryfor no apparent reason
become unusually confusedsuspicious or withdrawn
start acting less inhibited or more familiar with people.

A loss of initiative

Some days we’re enthusiastic about lifeothers we’re less motivated. That’s normal. But it could be an early warning sign if you grow less and less motivated over timelike:

neglecting your housework or personal hygiene
putting in less effort at work
socialising less with friends and family
needing prompting to get involved in things you’d normally enjoy.

How to notice early warning signs

It’s not always easy to notice changes in yourself. You might think it’s just normal ageingor only mild and not worth looking into.

These changes in your brain can make it harder for you to notice them. Your brain is what you think withso if it’s changingso is the way you think.

Here are two things you can do to pick up changes early:

Treat small signs as if they’re bigger. If it really is smallthere’s no harm in getting checked. If it’s more seriousyou were right to find out.
Listen to what other people notice about you. If someone close to you says they see a changetrust them. It might be easier for them to see than you.

What you can do about early warning signs

If you’ve noticed some early warning signs in yourselfor someone else has noticed themtalk to your doctor. They can help you work out what’s going on and what to do next.

Going to the doctor about your mind and brain health can be hard. It’s easy to put offor not even think about. But the sooner you knowthe more you can do.

For example: these early signs could mean a lot of thingsnot just dementia. If it’s some other medical conditionyour doctor can arrange teststell you what it is and start treating it early.

Even if your doctor books you in for testing for dementia-like symptomsthe earlier you find outthe better your options for treating and managing your condition.

For more informationadvice and support about early warning signsyou can contact the National Dementia Helpline any timeday or night.