Discussing Serious Warning Signs Of Dementia

Without much ado, let’s get straight into discussing the alarming signs of Dementia.

What is Dementia?

If we define Dementia, it is a mental condition where the patient loses cognitive abilities like remembering, thinking, and reasoning, and it starts affecting the patient’s daily routine or activities. Some patients can’t control their emotions, and you will notice a drastic change in their personalities. There are different stages of Dementia. But, the severity of the disease differs with the case, ranging from mild to severe. If we can catch the early onset of Dementia, there is a possibility that we can slow down its progression.

Dementia Symptoms

The signs of Dementia show up when healthy neurons in the brain stop functioning, lose connection with brain cells, and ultimately die. Although losing neurons with age is normal, people who have Dementia lose it at a greater pace and in larger numbers. Here are the dementia symptoms:

• Difficulty in understanding, speaking, expressing thoughts, reading, and writing.
• Repeating talks
• Trouble in managing money
• Experiencing confusion, poor judgment, and memory loss.
• Wandering and getting lost while walking and driving
• Losing interest in daily events
• Hallucinations or paranoia, or delusions
• Difficulty in movement
• Highly impulsive behaviour
• False accusations
• Lying
• Not bothering about others’ feelings

Out of all these symptoms, we’ll be discussing false accusations, lying, and paranoia in greater detail. If you are someone who has a family member suffering from Dementia and showing any of these three symptoms, we feel you, and this might help to cope!

Do Dementia Patients Tend to Make Stories?

In a way, yes. It has been found that dementia patients try to fill in their memory gaps by making stories. But, do not be disheartened by thinking your loved one is doing it deliberately. Instead, understand that it is a coping mechanism of the patient.

Lying & Dementia

In terms of Dementia, it would be better if we omit the word ‘lying’ and instead call it confabulation- it is a kind of memory disorder in which patients construct made-up stories. Here, the patient is not lying intentionally, and patients have zero realisation that they are lying. It is also termed ‘honest lying.

Paranoia & Dementia

Dementia results in short-term memory in the patient, which results in forgetting things and misplacing items. Then they start to doubt or accuse people around them, making them anxious and paranoid. They sometimes forget where they had spent money and then falsely blame others.

False Accusations & Dementia

People who have Dementia become suspicious of people around them, and they sometimes believe that the family members or caretakers are stealing things away or other false activities. Living with a person who is constantly blaming or accusing without rhyme or reason can be cumbersome at times. But the below-given tips can help you manage the situation efficiently:

• Never use logic to convince the patient. The brain is not wired like before. Allow them to discuss their thoughts and concerns without interrupting and be their listening ear instead.
• Do not take anything to heart. Understand that this behaviour is due to a loss of cognitive functioning. Calmly talk to such patients and keep on validating their concerns.
• Help them find misplaced things. Or you can keep copies of their generally misplaced item so you can replace them easily.
• Dealing with a Dementia patient is just like dealing with a newborn. You’ll have to calm your senses and keep the patient calm too. Try some engaging activity. Like you can play a game with them to distract them.

Conclusion

We hope that this post has brought some clarity on Dementia disease. And that you will gather some strength and kindness to deal with a family member suffering from Dementia.

FAQs

What are the 7 stages of Vascular Dementia?

The 7 stages in order are normal conduct, mild changes, mild decline, moderate decline, moderately severe decline, severe decline, and very severe decline.

Does Dementia affect bowel movements?

In confusion, the patient might not understand the urge to urinate or empty their bowels, which is why they can soil the pants. It is observed that the common time to empty bowels in these patients is, post a meal and after breakfast.

What vitamins help prevent Dementia?

There is no foolproof research on this. But, it is observed that people consuming Vitamin C and E-rich diets have 25% lesser chances of developing Dementia.

Why do Dementia patients get up at night?

Dementia destroys the patient’s brain cells and neurons, resulting in losing the circadian rhythm. So, the patient remains confused between day and night. Generally, the patient takes long naps during the day and gets up often at night.