Common signs we mistake as Dementia at the beginning of Old Age

With age, people tend to forget things easily. That is a normal sign of ageing and affects all. Just like our body, our brain too gets old and find it difficult to perform all the functions efficiently. It takes longer to learn new things, remember information and recall an event. These issues are not serious until they become severe and start to affect your daily routine. Prolonged and chronic forgetfulness in medical terms is referred to as dementia.

What is dementia?

Dementia is not a specific term. It is an umbrella term used to define mental conditions characterised by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgement. Alzheimer’s disease, Vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease all come under dementia.

Other symptoms of dementia include forgetfulness, limited social skills and thinking abilities, difficulty in solving problems, find hard to write or speak and poor judgement skills. Some of these issues are also common in old age, but that does not mean the person has dementia. Here are five signs which are mistaken as the symptoms of dementia.

• ​Forgetting names or appointments or taking medicines

Forgetfulness is common with ageing, and sometimes it is even associated with nutrient deficiencies. Even people in their midlife forget things or events from time to time due to stress or a busy schedule. But they recall it later, which is not the case in dementia. People suffering from this mental condition do not recall anything related to that particular event. They also forget their doctor’s appointments quite often.

• Making errors with money

Those dealing with dementia also have a problem with following a plan or working with numbers. They may not be able to solve a puzzle and do big calculations. Their condition is so severe that they even face trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. Even in old age people have difficulty with calculating money at times. However, it cannot be termed dementia.

• Not sure what day it is

It happens to all of us at times, especially when we are on a break. Most of us struggle for a while to recall what day it is. We feel puzzled and ask others or check the calendar for confirmation. The same happens with people with dementia, but it is more chronic and they are almost never able to keep a track of the date and time of year.

​- Forget the exact word sometimes

One of the most typical symptoms of dementia is having trouble holding a conversation. With people suffering from dementia it takes longer to conclude a conversation as they often forget what they were saying or what others have said. But forgetting the exact word to describe a situation occasionally cannot be termed as a mental health condition. It is completely normal.

• ​Making a bad decision occasionally

It is said that to err is human. That means it is natural for human beings to make mistakes. We all misjudge a person or a situation from time to time and it is absolutely normal. What is not normal is when it becomes a habit and regular thing. Repeating the same mistake and often making bad decisions along with other symptoms of dementia confirms that the person is suffering from a mental health condition.