Dealing with Signs of Early Onset Dementia in a Loved One
More than fifty-five million people globally have dementia, with more than ten million new cases diagnosed annually. Early onset dementia refers to people being affected who are under sixty-five years old. Dementia is not a single disease but is instead an umbrella term given to a range of symptoms that impact a person’s memory and ability to think, process information, and communicate with others. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia but is not the only one. Vascular dementia is the second most common cause, and there are other diseases including dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. Frontotemporal dementia has the highest rate of early onset dementia in people younger than sixty-five, with most cases diagnosed in people between the ages of forty-five and sixty-five. Signs and symptoms of early onset dementia While it is more difficult for an individual to become aware of early onset dementia in themselves, the signs may be more apparent to a loved one, such as a spouse or a child. Dementia gives rise to different symptoms in people, and they are experienced uniquely, but some common behaviors might sound warning bells. These common signs of dementia include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, difficulties in performing everyday tasks (such as computer work or making a familiar recipe), finding the right words during conversation, a sense of confusion about place and time, and personality changes or mood swings. If you notice these changes in yourself or someone close, they will typically be very mild in the beginning, and either stay the same as a type of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or worsen. It is important to take note of the symptoms seen and track them over a short period before consulting with a doctor concerning them. The most common signs of Alzheimer’s disease [...]
