Ten warning signs of dementia

1. Recent memory loss that affects daily life

• It’s normal to forget meetings, names or telephone numbers occasionally and then remember them later.
• A person with dementia might have trouble remembering recent events.

2. Difficulty performing regular tasks

• It’s normal to make a wrong turn occasionally while driving.
• Someone with dementia might have regular difficulty driving a familiar route.

3. Problems with language

• Many people have trouble finding the right words sometimes.
• But someone with dementia might have difficulty following, or initiating a conversation.

4. Disorientation of time and place

• It is normal to occasionally forget what day it is or where you are going
• A person with dementia may be confused about the time of day, and what is appropriate for that time.

5. Decreased or poor judgment

• Making a bad decision once in a while is normal.  
• A person with dementia might make bad decisions more frequently and start paying less attention to their physical appearance.

6. Problems with abstract thinking

• It’s normal to have difficulty balancing a budget.
• A person with dementia might completely forget what the numbers are and what needs to be done with them.

7. Misplacing things

• Anyone can misplace their wallet or keys.
• A person with dementia might repeatedly put things in inappropriate places.

8. Changes in mood and behaviour

• Everyone becomes sad or moody from time to time.
• A person with dementia can have rapid mood swings, from calm to tears to anger, for no apparent reason.

9. Changes in personality

• People's personalities can change a little with age
• A person with dementia might have problems in social situations they have previously been comfortable with.

10. Loss of initiative

• It is normal for people to tire of housework, business activities or social obligations.
• A person with dementia may no longer initiate things that they once enjoyed.