Dementia covers a group of symptoms that include memory loss, confusion and needing help with daily tasks, problems with language and understanding, and changes in behaviour.
If a family member or friend is affected by dementia, you might want to know a little more about the symptoms they may have.
It’s generally accepted that there are three main stages of dementia: early, middle and late, although the condition will affect everyone differently.
Dementia is progressive, meaning that symptoms may be relatively mild at first but become more debilitating over time.
This may happen quickly or slowly, depending on factors including the type of dementia, the person’s age, their general health, and their lifestyle.
Early stage dementia.
In the early stage of dementia, the person will start to experience problems that affect their everyday living.
They may have mild problems with concentration and memory of recent events, while their memories of childhood and early life may remain clear.
There may be problems with language and communication, word finding or keeping track of conversations, together with difficulties planning, problem-solving and decision making.
They may repeat themselves or keep asking the same questions.
They may begin to lose or misplace items, get lost in familiar places, bump into things or have difficulty driving.
If they are aware of the changes they are experiencing, they may feel frightened, worried, anxious and depressed about what is happening to them.
Middle stage dementia.
In the middle stage of dementia the symptoms become more obvious and will have a bigger impact on the person’s daily life.
They will experience mood changes, become anxious and have difficulty sleeping.
They might forget names – even of the people who are closest to them.
They may not recognise their own partner, where they are or that they are at home, and believe they need to ‘go home’ to another place – usually their childhood home.
There may be further problems with words and following a conversation. They may ask the same thing repeatedly and not remember the answer.
There could be problems with balance which may lead to falls.
Late stage dementia.
In dementia’s late stage the changes in the person become so pronounced that they are unable to live independently.
This can be very upsetting for their partner, family and friends; making decisions about long-term care may cause feelings of loss and guilt.
The person may only be able to speak a few words and have difficulty understanding what’s said to them. They may lose track of time and believe they are still a child or young person.
They may no longer recognise their partner, family members or friends, thinking they are strangers.
Their distress and confusion may cause frustration, crying or shouting.
There could be further mobility issues, with increased risk of falls.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care at Fairmile Grange.
Dementia damages different areas of the brain and leads to a variety of challenging symptoms. Understanding the various types of dementia means people can get the right support to help them live better with the condition. This means the most important aspect of dementia care is that it should be personal to the individual.
At Fairmile Grange our approach is designed around dedicated dementia support not only to help those with dementia to live well, but so they also feel comfortable and at home.
If you would like to take a look at our rooms, facilities and grounds here at Fairmile Grange, you can book an appointment here.
