8 Early Signs of Dementia in Elderly Loved Ones: A Caregiver Checklist
Is memory loss a normal part of aging, or could it be dementia? While dementia is more common with advanced age, it is not the same as normal age-related memory loss. Dementia is a progressive loss of cognitive function, that while incurable, can be prevented, delayed, or slowed when recognized early and addresses with medical intervention and lifestyle changes. For family caregivers, especially those caring for a Veteran, knowing what to look for is the first and most important step.
8 Dementia Warning Signs to Watch For in Aging Parents
Dementia is a cluster of cognitive decline symptoms that affect memory, speech, executive functioning, and relating to others. Use this checklist to monitor your loved one's behavior over time. If you notice several of these signs appearing or worsening, it is time to consult a physician.
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Abnormal memory loss.
It is not uncommon for people to forget the name of someone they just met or someone they worked with a decade ago, but it is worth noting if they forget the names of family members, important dates, or repeatedly forget appointments or social plans. This is especially true if the forgetfulness is new and different from how they were before. Another warning sign: asking the same question repeatedly in a short period of time.
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Trouble with usual routines and tasks.
A warning sign of dementia is absentmindedness when remembering how to complete a task they have done many times. They might forget a recipe they have made hundreds of times or a route they have walked or driven for years. This is distinct from normal forgetfulness, the key indicator is that they struggle to recall the process of a familiar task, not just a detail.
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Time, place, or spatial confusion.
A sign of cognitive decline in seniors is losing track of what month or year it is. They might also show confusion of where they are, as well as how and when they arrived there. While vision is sometimes responsible, they might also have more trouble judging distances, which leads to accidents walking, sitting down, or driving.
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Misplacing items in unusual places.
While many people might lose their keys or glasses on a regular basis, this memory-related symptom is a new or worsening misplacement of items where the senior cannot find a way to retrace their steps. The lack of insight as to where items could be can lead to great frustration, and sometimes accusations that other have moved or taken in. They or a relative might eventually find their keys in the fridge or their glasses in the mailbox.
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Difficulty with executive function, decision-making, and problem-solving.
Dementia impacts one’s ability to concentrate and follow a logical sequence of steps. This can lead to trouble problem solving and organizing oneself. It is not unusual to see this change affect math calculations, including when paying with cash at a store. Reasoning is also impacted, leading to decisions that make little sense to others.
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Reduced self-awareness and declining personal hygiene.
Behavioral changes in dementia extend to reduced grooming, such as showering, brushing teeth, and clipping fingernails, due to lessening self-awareness. The senior with dementia might not realize their sweater is unraveling or that they are wearing different shoes on their feet. The house may become markedly messier than it used to be, with trash piling up but little or no awareness of it. Declining hygiene is one of the more visible early warning signs and is often what prompts family members to seek a professional evaluation.
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Problems with language.
A dementia red flag is loss of language skills, where the individual forgets what they were saying, repeats themselves frequently, or cannot follow what someone else is saying. They forget common words, sometimes substituting a made-up word or a vague term like 'the thing.' Difficulty finding the right word, especially for common objects, is one of the earliest and most consistent language-based symptoms of dementia.
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Changes in personality and withdrawal from others.
Because of confusion and a reduced ability to follow conversations, individuals with dementia can become suspicious, anxious, frustrated, and alienated. This depresses their mood and can lead to tears or outbursts. This often leads to withdrawal from social activities and friends, a change that is deeply painful for family members to witness and one that should prompt a conversation with a physician.
Other signs to watch out for include: difficulty sleeping, hearing loss (which often happens alongside cognitive decline), vision loss and diagnoses like cataracts, mental health struggles, and frequent or unexplained irritability.
Dementia vs. Normal Aging: Understanding the Difference
One of the most important things a caregiver can understand is the difference between normal age-related memory changes and the warning signs of dementia. Many families delay seeking a medical evaluation because they assume memory lapses are simply a normal part of getting older — and sometimes they are. But the distinction matters.
Normal aging may look like: occasionally forgetting a name but remembering it later; misplacing items but being able to retrace steps; making an error occasionally when balancing a checkbook; sometimes needing to pause to recall a word.
Early dementia warning signs look like: forgetting names of close family members; misplacing items in logically impossible locations; being unable to manage finances; losing track of familiar words regularly and substituting made-up ones.
The key distinction is frequency, pattern, and progression. If the memory or behavioral changes are new, worsening over time, or affecting daily functioning — it is time to seek a professional evaluation.
The Four Main Types of Dementia Affecting Seniors
There are four main types of dementia affecting seniors.
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer’s Disease is a degenerative condition familiar to many. While there is no one known cause, it is thought to be the result of lifestyle and genetic factors. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, accounting for approximately 60-80% of all cases.
Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is dementia brought on by blood flow disruption to the brain. The most common cause is a stroke, which is why managing cardiovascular health is also a factor in dementia prevention.
Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy body dementia (LBD) occurs when a protein called alpha-synuclein builds up in parts of the brain governing reasoning, memory, and movement. While not the same diagnosis, Parkinson’s Disease carries the same feature. LBD also affects sleep and can feature the symptom of visual hallucinations.
Frontotemporal Dementia
Frontotemporal dementia comes from neural degeneration in the the frontal and temporal regions of the brain. It is rare and affects more younger individuals than other types of dementia.
Cognitive decline may also be present with other medical conditions or as a side effect of treatment, which is why early diagnosis is key.
How Dementia is Diagnosed and Why Early Detection Matters
Diagnosis of dementia includes a questionnaire about symptoms—including a memory test—and often a physical exam. It may also include medical imaging and blood or spinal fluid tests. Annual visits with a trusted physician—preferably a geriatrician or other expert in older patients—can help catch dementia early, when interventions are the most effective.
Dementia can be scary for both the individual who may have it and their loved ones. It can be hard to push through the fear to assess whether symptoms are present, and whether it is time to seek medical attention. Keep in mind that the best thing for a dementia diagnosis is early detection, and there is hope in interventions prescribed by your physician.
For veterans, the VA healthcare system provides access to geriatric specialists and memory care evaluations — services that may be fully covered depending on the veteran's eligibility. Contact your local VA medical center or speak with a VA-enrolled physician to begin an evaluation.
Home Care Options for Veterans With Dementia
For families caring for a veteran with dementia, the challenge of managing daily care is often compounded by uncertainty about what support is available and how to pay for it. The good news: veterans who need help with activities of daily living — including those living with early-stage dementia — may qualify for the VA Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit, which can help cover the cost of professional in-home care.
What Is the Aid and Attendance Benefit?
The VA Aid and Attendance benefit is a tax-free monthly payment available to wartime veterans and their surviving spouses who require assistance with daily activities due to a medical condition — including cognitive decline and dementia. It is one of the most underused VA benefits, with many eligible families unaware it exists.
How In-Home Care Helps With Dementia
Professional in-home caregivers provide far more than practical assistance. For individuals with early to mid-stage dementia, consistent, familiar care from a trusted in-home caregiver can help maintain daily routines, reduce anxiety and confusion, and provide family caregivers with essential respite. Studies show that social engagement and structured daily routines can help slow the progression of cognitive decline. Home care also allows your loved one to remain in a familiar environment — a meaningful factor for seniors with dementia, for whom changes in surroundings can be particularly disorienting.
Talking to Your Loved One About Getting Help
Starting the conversation about in-home care can be difficult, especially when a parent or loved one is resistant to accepting help. Our guide to broaching in-home care with aging parents offers practical, compassionate advice for navigating that conversation.
Families caring for someone with dementia might consider home-based care through a virtual nurse service or an in-home caregiver. Whatever the stage of its development, dementia can be addressed, your family can be resourced, and your loved one can be safe and supported.
If your loved one needs home care, our VetAssist mission is to make home care easily and quickly accessible for those who qualify through the VA Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit. Veterans Home Care can help you determine whether you or your loved one will be eligible to receive the benefit, which can cover some or all of the cost of home care, and we make it easy to apply. Chat with us via our website, or call us at (888) 314-6075.
