Dementia is a term that refers to a range of symptoms that affect thinking, memory, and social abilities to a level that is severe enough to impact your daily life. While dementia is not a specific disease, there are several diseases that cause it. Memory loss is a common symptom, although there are different causes of memory loss, and memory loss does not always mean that you have dementia. In older adults, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, but there are several other potential causes. Symptoms may vary on the cause; however, some of the most common include:
Dysphagia or Trouble Swallowing
People with neurological conditions that cause dementia may experience dysphagia, or trouble swallowing food and liquids. With this condition, somebody might find food or liquid impossible to swallow, or need to take longer to successfully eat a meal. It can lead to frequent aspiration, or food and liquid ‘going down the wrong way’, or it can cause regurgitation or vomiting after meals. Other symptoms include a feeling of something being stuck in the throat, heartburn, and excessive salivation. Some people find swallowing painful. People with this condition usually need to make some dietary changes, such as eating soft and smooth foods, to better manage it. SimplyThick thickener gel can also be added to liquids to make them easier to drink.
Memory Loss
While memory loss does not always mean that somebody has dementia, this is often one of the earliest signs. The memory loss with dementia is often noticed by somebody else rather than the patient themselves. Most of the time, short-term memory loss is affected and the changes may be quite subtle. For example, somebody might be able to remember something that they did a decade ago but have forgotten what they ate for lunch.
Mood Changes
Changes in mood are also quite common with dementia. This might not always be easy for the person with dementia to notice in themselves, but it may be noticed by somebody who is close to them. It is not uncommon for people who are in the early stages of dementia to suffer from depressive feelings, for example. Anxiety is also quite common, and people with dementia are more likely to get upset easier in an unfamiliar situation or if their daily routine is changed. Some people experience a shift in personality, such as going from being quite outgoing to being shyer and reserved, or vice versa.
Confusion
Somebody who is in the early stages of dementia may become confused more often. This could look like trouble remembering the day or month, forgetting where they are, or not recognizing faces. This confusion may occur in different situations or for a number of different reasons, such as forgetting somebody who they have recently met or misplacing things that they frequently use.
While not all of these symptoms are always a sign of dementia, they are some of the more common early indicators to look out for. Often, a person who is in the early stages of dementia may not notice the changes in themselves.
