Dementia is an insidious disease—the signs often creep up very stealthily and for a long time you might not even be aware of them or, as many people are, in denial and believe that the symptoms of dementia in a loved one are easily explained by other things. But whilst it can be easy to overlook some symptoms of dementia, if you are at all concerned about a friend or relative, it helps to have an early signs of dementia checklist to help you make a definitive diagnosis.
The signs of dementia are fairly well documented and we are all familiar with the idea that many elderly people develop symptom of dementia when they are in their final years, but what happens if dementia affects a younger person?
An early signs of dementia checklist is a very useful tool for evaluating a patient who might be exhibiting signs of dementia. Developed by health care professionals, the Early Signs of Dementia Checklist is a list of questions relating to all aspects of a patient’s behavior. The questions are designed to help a doctor (and you) make an analysis of a patient’s mental condition, and whilst it is very often used to assess an elderly person, it can also be used to make an assessment of a younger patient showing signs of dementia.
Questions on the checklist fall into a number of categories, all of which take into account various aspects of a person’s behavior and habits. Questions relating to the early signs of dementia will fall into three broad categories: mental changes, personality changes, and behavioral changes.
Personality changes are always an important indicator of dementia and the checklist asks a number of questions relating to aspects of mood swings and signs of anxiety. Patients exhibiting the symptoms of dementia often become very withdrawn and isolated, or they might start to show signs of uncharacteristic aggression of temper outbursts. Depression is also common in people suffering from dementia.
Behavioral changes can include sleep problems, paranoia and hallucinations as the disease progresses, so it is important to make a note of any unusual behavior problems that seem out of character.
Other categories of questions on the checklist include language skills, performance skills relating to domestic jobs and chores, problems with movement and gait, incontinence, the loss of school-acquired skills such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, and also epilepsy.
Each question on the checklist is a yes/no tick box, and the number of yes boxes ticked can help the medical practitioner make a fairly accurate diagnosis as to the level of mental impairment in the person showing early signs of dementia.
Working your way through a checklist of the early signs of dementia can help you come to terms with the fact that your relative might be showing the symptoms of dementia. It is not unusual for sufferers of dementia to conceal their symptoms in front of other people, but a checklist will help you get the symptoms straight before consulting a heath care professional. Once a diagnosis of dementia has been made, you can all work together and help the patient maintain their independence for as long as possible.