Visible Signs of Dementia

Georgia is a fictional 78-year-old woman living in New York City. After her husband, Nigel, passed away six months ago, she has been in charge of her retirement. Her favorite activities include taking daily walks to Central Park and buying lunch at the local deli.

As time progresses, Georgia begins to get more and more confused on her daily walk. What was once an easy trip became a difficult excursion. Her doorman would notice her struggle and help her with written instructions. Even at her favorite deli shop, she couldn’t remember what her order was on several occasions. The shop owner also started stepping in to help—even if he didn’t always get paid the correct amount from a mildly incoherent Georgia with shaky hands. 

Kimberly, Georgia’s daughter, decided to come pick up her mother for Christmas after spending Thanksgiving with her husband’s family. When she arrived, she found Georgia out in the snow in a sundress with no coat. Kimberly went inside to help Georgia change and found the apartment was messier than usual. Her mother couldn’t find her bedroom and seemed lost in Kimberly’s childhood home. Georgia insisted she had made a side dish, but her fridge was full of expired and moldy food. The milk was even spoiled in the pantry. More inspection of the unorganized home led to Kimberly asking Georgia what happened to the place. Infuriated at the apparent “accusations,” Georgia, kept saying she was fine and that there were no issues.

Does this situation feel or sound familiar? If so, your loved one could be suffering from early-onset dementia. Here are some visible signs of dementia that you can look for when visiting with a loved one for the holidays. These are often some of the first symptoms and warnings that a person is having memory or cognitive problems. Unless these are common for your loved one, it’s important to assess these problems as they become apparent. 

Inappropriate Clothes for Weather

One of the major signs of a family member suffering from dementia is confusion around clothing. To most people, checking the weather by a window or the news is second nature. However, for someone with dementia, the weather isn’t a factor when choosing an outfit.

Some examples may be a loved one, abnormally, wearing a coat in the heat or shorts in the winter. Others may not be able to realize when they are too hot or too cold. In many of these situations, the loved one may become irritated or snappy as they cannot articulate what the actual problem is. 

Lack of Personal Hygiene 

One of the major signs of forgetfulness may be a lack of personal hygiene. This could come from forgetting to shower, care for their teeth or hair, or not completing chores such as laundry. In some cases of more progressed dementia, some may even forget or not notice that they’re wearing soiled, stained, or dirty clothing. 

This can cause major issues such as infection or disease, which is why it’s critical to intervene when possible. If left long enough, your loved one could also suffer other problems, such as cavities and tooth loss, skin conditions, matted hair, and open wounds. It’s important to intervene when you notice a lack of personal hygiene becoming a trend.

Confusion or Lost in Familiar Places

As your elderly loved ones come to visit, watch for potential confusion in their surroundings. Dementia can make people who have been in places they’ve been before seem new or different than what they expected. For example, if your home hasn’t changed in a year but your loved one is lost like it’s a new place, then it may be a sign that they are struggling with dementia. 

Similarly, this can be exacerbated if they are lost in their own home. They may not be able to remember what is in their house or where things are, especially if there are changes made like new furniture. This issue can come in waves, meaning that sometimes, the loved one may be able to remember and other times they do not. 

Rambling or Incoherent Conversations 

Another symptom most can pick up on easily is when a loved one loses their ability to articulate their thoughts, feelings, and actions. This can come in several ways, such as: losing focus halfway through a conversation and being unable to remember what was said; repeating the same conversation or sentence multiple times; being unable to remember what conversations or questions were made; and a loss of overall sentence structure. 

To some, this may look like rambling, as they’ll jump from idea to idea without transition. To others, it could look like repeating conversations multiple times a day, if not every hour. While a loved one may occasionally be able to converse like before, if the symptom persists, it may be time to make an appointment. 

Hand Tremors

There are many different reasons for hand tremors, that’s why it’s important to look at the whole situation over just one sign. If a senior you know has hand tremors, rambling conversations, and severe weight loss, it may be time to check in with medical professionals. When in doubt, it’s always best to schedule a checkup. 

Getting Help

If a senior loved one comes to mind who is struggling with these problems, it may be time to look into a dementia consultant after talking with their physician. Your local Office of Aging and Alzheimer’s Association chapter can also help with any questions. Similarly, programs like Meals on Wheels and transportation services may also prove to be helpful during this time.

Lastly, if you're in the Maryland area, Christina Green with Inspirations Memory Care is a wonderful resource and guide to senior programs, services, and information regarding dementia. You can reach her at CGreen@Inspired-Joy.com.