Every person is unique, there-fore their experiences of dementia especially at early stages will be different from others. Some of the cognitive symptoms (linked with thinking or memory) are quite common for someone who lives with dementia. They may experience difficulty with the following:
• Day-to-day memory – may have difficulty recalling events that happened recently, for example what someone had for breakfast
• Concentrating, planning or organising – this may include a difficulty with making decisions, solving problems or carrying out a sequence of tasks (for example cooking a meal or making a cup of tea),
• Language – this could inculde difficulty in following a conversation or finding the right word for something
• Visuospatial skills – this may include problems judging distances (such as on stairs) and seeing objects, such as patterns on a carpet, in three dimensions
• Orientation – such as getting confused about where they are, if for example they have left the house, or losing track of the day.
It is very common for a person with dementia to experience changes in their mood. They may become frustrated or irritable, easily upset or anxious, or show withdrawal symptoms. Some types of dementia may bring hallucinations (seeing things that are not really there) or delusions (believing in things which are not real).
Common forms of dementia >As dementia is a progressive disesase, the symptoms will get worse with time. The speed in which the dementia progresses will vary from person to person. The person might develop certain behaviours which may seem unusual or out of character such as pacing or agitation or even wandering.
Six in 10 people with dementia will wander. A person with Alzheimer's may not remember his or her name or address, and can become disoriented, even in familiar places.
Wandering among people with dementia is dangerous, but there are strategies and services to help prevent it. These changes in behaviour may cause distress to family or friends.In the later stages of dementia, a person may develop physical symptoms such as muscle weakness, weight loss, changes in sleep pattern or appetite.
Signs of dementia can vary greatly more examples include:
• Problems with short-term memory.
• Keeping track of a purse or wallet
• Paying bills.
• Wandering
• Planning and preparing meals
• Remembering appointments.
• Traveling out of the neighborhood.
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