15 Warning Signs of Dementia You Shouldn’t Ignore

4. Repetition. “If a person is being told by family or friends that they are repeating questions or repeating stories and statements in a short time framewithout seeming to realize that they just told the person that or just asked that same question and it was answeredthat’s a red flag,” Whitson says.  

5. Personality changes. A sudden and routine loss of interest in familyfriendswork and social events can be a warning sign of dementia. “People may feel less comfortable in social situations — holding a conversationremembering the conversation — so they may start to withdraw from social situations,” Heidebrink says.

A 2023 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that apathy may be a sign that someone is progressing from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) — symptoms of memory loss or thinking problems that are not as severe as dementia — to Alzheimer’s disease. Acting increasingly anxiousconfusedfearful or suspicious may also be a sign of dementiaaccording to the Alzheimer’s Association.  

6. New sleep behaviors. While Whitson says sleep issues can be “very common” among older adultssome sleep behaviorssuch as sleepwalkingare not a normal part of aging. “It’s important to know that there are some types of dementia that are associated with altered sleep behavior — acting out dreams or talking in your sleepwhen that wasn’t something that the person used to do,” Whitson says.  

7. Worsening sense of direction. Changes in sense of direction can also occur with dementiaDickson saysand this can manifest as difficulty driving and getting lost in familiar environments.

“Sometimes it’s just a loss of confidence,” Heidebrink adds. “People will start to restrict their driving to very familiarclose destinationssort of low-speedlow-traffic situationsor good weather only.”

8. Depression. A new and sudden onset of depression later in life can be a warning sign of dementiaDickson says. According to the Alzheimer’s Associationup to 40 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease suffer from significant depression.

Depression may be not just a symptom of dementia but also a potential precursor. A 2023 study published in JAMA Neurology found that dementia risk more than doubled for adults previously diagnosed with depression. 

9. Confusion about time and place. If someone forgets where they areor can’t remember how they got therethat’s a red flag. Another worrisome sign is disorientation about time — for exampleroutinely forgetting what day of the week it issays Dr. Jason Karlawisha neurologist and professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and codirector of the Penn Memory Center. 

10. Difficulty with visual or perceptual tasks. Tripping over something because you don’t recognize that it’s in the wayor not being able to make sense of the time on a clockcould be warning signs of dementiaHeidebrink says. Difficulty with balancetrouble reading and problems judging distance or distinguishing color and contrast can also be early indicatorsthe Alzheimer’s Association says.

11. Financial missteps. Money problems may be one of the first noticeable signs of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementiasaccording to the NIA.

“There’s a lot of reasoning and memory that go into financial tasksand so [money management errors] can certainly be an early way that people experience changes,” Heidebrink says.

According to the NIAsigns of money problems can include difficulties with the following:

• Counting change
• Paying for a purchase
• Calculating a tip
• Balancing a checkbook
• Understanding a bank statement

12. Changes in judgment. People with dementia may experience changes in judgment and decision-making that can affect everything from their appearance to their financial well-beingthe Alzheimer’s Association says.

A recent study led by researchers at the University of Southern California looked at brain images from 97 adults over the age of 50 and found that people who had brain changes associated with early stages of Alzheimer’s were more vulnerable to financial scams. While not a singledefinitive indicator“assessing financial vulnerability in older adults could help identify those who are in the early stages of mild cognitive impairment or dementiaincluding Alzheimer’s disease,” researcher Duke Han said in a news release.  

13. Misplacing things. We all lose our keysreading glassesthat important piece of mail you meant to hold on to. But putting things in unusual placesor misplacing something and not being able to retrace your stepscan be an early warning sign of dementiaaccording to the Alzheimer’s Association.

It’s easy to lose track of thingsespecially when adjusting to a new routinelike retirementWhitson says. What’s more concerning is if you find what you’re looking for but have no recollection of putting it there in the first place.

“If you’re frequently finding that you just have no memory of being in that room with that [missing object]to methat is more alarmingbecause that suggests that something with short-term memory is not registering,” Whitson says.  

14. Misusing items.  Another subtle symptom “is not using things for their correct and intended purpose,” Whitson says. For exampleeating with a spoon when you would usually select a forkor pouring wine into a beer glass.

15. Hallucinations. Delusions or hallucinations can be a symptom of dementia — “particularly visual hallucinationslike seeing people or animals that aren’t there,” Dickson says.

What to do if you notice symptoms

If you’ve noticed changes or have any concerns related to your thinking and memoryor that of a loved oneit’s important to call a doctor sooner than laterhealth experts say.

A big reason: “There are many possible causes of these changes,” Heidebrink says. “Not every case where someone is experiencing these changes is automatically Alzheimer’s diseasefor example. There could be other causes — a medication side effecta metabolic hormone imbalancesomething else that could be treatable.”

If the changes are due to dementiaan early diagnosis has benefits. For examplethere are newly approved medications that may slow the progression of Alzheimer’s diseaseand research suggests the drugs work better in the beginning stages of the disease. Plusan early diagnosis makes individuals eligible for a wider variety of clinical trials.

You can start with your primary care providerwho may refer you to a specialistsuch as a neurologist or a geriatric psychiatristfor a more thorough evaluation and definitive diagnosis.

How is dementia diagnosed?

Some methods doctors use to help diagnose dementia:

• Cognitive and neurological tests assess languagemathmemoryproblem-solving and other types of mental functions.
• Blood teststhough relatively new and not yet widely availablecan measure biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease.
• Brain scans such as MRI or PET imaging can spot changes in brain structure and function. These tests can also identify strokestumors and other problems that can cause dementia.
• Mental health evaluations can determine whether a mental health condition is causing or affecting the symptoms.
• Genetic tests may be helpful if symptoms appear before age 60. Early-onset Alzheimer’s is strongly linked to geneticsaccording to the Mayo Clinic. Talk with a genetic counselor before and after getting tested.

8 ailments that can mimic dementia

Any number of treatable conditions can cause dementia-like symptoms. Some of the most common:

• Alcohol abuse
• Anxietydepression or stress
• Blood clotsbrain infections or tumors
• Delirium
• Head injuries
• Kidneyliver or thyroid problems
• Side effects of medication
• Vitamin deficiencies

Hearing loss can also be mistaken for dementiaWhitson says. “Sometimesif somebody is repeating a questionit might be because they didn’t hear the answer before," she explains.

Source: National Institute on Aging