When Do Forgetful Moments Become A Cause For Concern?

Everyone has forgetful moments, but when major memory lapses become more consistent and start impacting day-to-day living, it could be an indicator of cognitive decline.

At some point, a person with dementia will be unable to do things they once could do without thinking, like drive a car, because they get confused and are no longer able to process the sensory information required to do so.

Some cognitive decline is just as much a part of normal ageing as physical decline.

According to Dementia Australia, it’s when people encounter the following difficulties regularly that there could be some underlying cognitive cause worth investigating.

• Trouble remembering recent events;
• Trouble finding the right word;
• Trouble remembering the day and date;
• Forgetting where things are usually kept;
• Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine;
• Trouble understanding written content or a story on television;
• Difficulty following conversations in groups;
• Problems handling finances;
• Difficulty with everyday activities; and
• Losing interest in activities that were previously enjoyable.

It is important to seek appropriate advice about problems with memory because some conditions that can cause similar symptoms as dementia are reversible if caught early enough.

Vitamin B12 deficiency, low thyroid, some infections and some sorts of cancer can present as dementia.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain) and infections such as syphilis and urinary tract infection, certain medications, stress and depression can mimic dementia and should be ruled out.

You’re still the same person if you have a diagnosis of dementia. People can live positively with dementia for many years.

• Topics:

• Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Health & Wellness