Understanding Dementia: 6 warning signs you should not ignore

Dementia is a condition that can affect a person's ability to independently perform all the activities of daily life and can include problems in memory, vision, speech, comprehension, awareness of surroundings, change in behaviour and abnormal sleep patterns, getting lost in familiar surroundings. Although problems like difficulty searching for words and short-term memory are common examples of early signs, it is also important to understand that dementia is not an ordinary part of ageing.Mild memory issues are expected with age, but such issues do not hinder daily activities. Early recognition of such symptoms can help us arrest the disease progression and patients can lead an independent life.
There are several identification and warning indicators of dementia that one can look out for to assist in distinguishing between dementia and normal memory loss. Below are six warning signs that one should not ignore:
Dementia disrupts daily life: Dependency on memory aids, forgetting important dates, or asking for the same information repeatedly may be signs of something more serious than simple ageing.
Difficulty in planning and solving problems: According to Dr.Chinmay Kumbhar, Consultant -Neurology, Manipal Hospital, Baner, Pune, “If one finds it difficult to complete routine chores, such as managing the finances or following a recipe, one might be experiencing cognitive loss that goes beyond simple absentmindedness. This is collectively called executive dysfunction.”
Disorientation with time or place: Early indications of dementia can involve becoming lost in familiar surroundings or forgetting dates and seasons.

Mood swings: A noticeable change in mood, such as heightened irritation, depression, or withdrawal, may coincide with the development of dementia. Also, a person suffering from dementia may appear more nervous or afraid than usual. If their regular daily schedule changes or they are placed in unexpected circumstances, they could become quickly irritated. Delusional behavior and hallucinations are quite common in such patients.

Confusion and difficulty communicating: Having trouble following talks or coming up with the appropriate phrases could indicate cognitive impairment. Early-stage dementia patients might frequently experience confusion. They might experience difficulties recognising faces, determining the day or month, or locating themselves.

Misplacing items: Putting things in the wrong locations or accusing someone of stealing could be signs of memory problems. Misplacing items and being unable to retrace steps are other symptoms. For instance, they might lose their car keys, forget what has to be done that day, or struggle to recall a recent contact.

Prevention is better than cure. Dementia can be prevented. Good education, Socializing, regular exercise, good sleep, engaging in brain stimulating activities like solving a crossword, sudoku, watching movies, yoga and meditation, avoiding alcohol and smoking, are all known to help in preventing dementia.
Usually, psychological methods are combined with medication for treatment that can assist in the control of cognitive symptoms and help with mood-related problems. Newer treatment modalities like Transcranial magnetic stimulation and Deep brain stimulation have been tried with some success in treating dementia, the possibilities of which could be discussed with the treating neurologist. Newer drugs are coming up to arrest the dementia at a very early stage, also known as MCI stage or Minimal Cognitive Impairment stage, which can help in avoiding progression to severe Dementia and patients can retain his abilities to independently perform activities of daily life.