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Author: Dan Nathanson

Daily life is busy and that sometimes means that ailments and illnesses seem to pop up out of nowhere. Like any other illness, dementia is easier to treat when it’s spotted and diagnosed early. That means knowing what warning signs to watch out for so that families can take action. Alzheimer’s care providers can be a huge help to families as they navigate the changes ahead of them.

Repetitive Stories and Questions

One common sign of cognitive changes is repeating the same stories or questions over and over again. Seniors can forget that they’ve told the same story or gotten an answer to that pressing question. Sometimes this symptom is related to anxiety or uncertainty. Other times it’s simply down to forgetfulness.

Reduced Sense of Judgement

As seniors start to develop dementia, they may have a more difficult time making decisions. Their sense of judgment may not be as strong as it used to be, causing family members to worry about how safe seniors truly are. As seniors continue to make poor decisions over time, this can have a huge impact on their quality of life.

Difficulties with Time and Place

Another common symptom for seniors developing dementia is that they start to have trouble with the passage of time, losing track of dates, and even seasons. Seniors can also start to become disoriented in places that are familiar to them. This is a scary situation and can be a big reason seniors stop driving. Having home care providers do the driving can be a huge relief.

Reduced Interest in Favorite Activities

Seniors might have more time than ever to engage in their favorite activities, but do they seem to be pulling back? If they’re not showing as much interest in the activities they used to love, they might be experiencing other challenges. Cognitive changes can cause them to withdraw from all sorts of things they used to love.

Missed Responsibilities

Everybody forgets an obligation or a task now and again. But when seniors start missing lots of responsibilities and seem to be doing so more often, that can be a sign of dementia. Seniors might also seem to be making up more excuses than they used to in order to explain away what is happening. It can really help if family caregivers dig a little bit deeper.

Trouble Learning New Things

Learning new things is important for people of any age, especially seniors. But if they’re seeming to have more trouble learning new things or don’t seem to want to learn anymore, they may be dealing with dementia. The cognitive changes that come with dementia make it difficult to hold onto things seniors already know while also making it impossible to retain new information.

Increased Memory Issues

Those normal memory issues might be getting more frequent. Or seniors start to have trouble remembering recent events or misplacing items. These seemingly small memory issues can have a big meaning behind them.

It’s important that seniors get a diagnosis from their healthcare provider if they suspect they’re facing dementia or another type of cognitive illness. Alzheimer’s care services can help families learn more about what is happening while also helping them to develop new routines and supporting families throughout this journey.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s care in Westlake, CA, please contact the caring staff at Home Helpers Home Care of Ventura County today at (805) 386-1031.

Home Helpers Home Care of Ventura County provides exceptional home care for seniors in Thousand Oaks, Westlake, Ventura, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Agoura, West Hills, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Topanga and surrounding areas.