One of the biggest health risks for people over the age of 65 is the onset of dementia. While only around 3% of people aged 65 have some form of dementia, the risk of being diagnosed with dementia doubles every 5 years after that age, rising to around 35% for people over 85 years old. While there is no cure for dementia, early diagnosis and treatment can help to slow down the symptoms. From Dementia Australia, here are the 10 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.
To help reduce the risk of dementia, it is important to have a healthy lifestyle. The incidence of dementia is lowest in those with a healthy lifestyle which includes regular physical exercise, no more than a moderate intake of alcohol, high levels of social interaction, a healthy diet and good eyesight and hearing. Hearing loss is associated with an increase in the risk of dementia and the use of hearing aids has been shown to reduce the risk to the level of a person with normal hearing.
