When we think about dementia, we often picture memory problems, such as forgetting names or misplacing items. However, dementia encompasses more than just memory issues.
It can affect cognitive functions like learning, thinking, comprehension, and judgment. Furthermore, individuals with dementia may exhibit changes in behavior that go beyond memory lapses.
Dementia is a condition that impacts our ability to think clearly and function effectively. It doesn’t just affect memory; it can also influence our behavior.
Unfortunately, these behavioral changes can often be overlooked or misunderstood as simple quirks.
Take my grandmother, for instance. Her strange behaviors, like becoming easily agitated when unable to complete tasks or claiming to see people who weren’t there, were early warning signs of a more severe condition.
She also became distrustful and hid things in unusual places. It took some time before she received a dementia diagnosis.
Cognitive and Behavioral Impairment
Dementia is characterized by cognitive and behavioral changes that interfere with an individual’s functional independence.
However, when these changes don’t necessarily hinder independence but still impact relationships and work performance, they are termed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild behavioral impairment (MBI), respectively.
Interestingly, in one-third of people who develop Alzheimer’s dementia, behavioral symptoms precede cognitive decline.
Identifying these behavioral changes, typically in individuals aged 50 and above and representing a noticeable shift from their usual patterns, can be crucial in implementing preventive treatments before more severe symptoms develop.
Five Key Behavioral Changes to Watch For
Here are five primary behavioral changes to be alert to in friends and family over the age of 50 that may warrant further attention:
Apathy: Apathy involves a decline in interest, motivation, and drive. An apathetic person might lose interest in people, activities, and topics they once cared about. They may become less spontaneous, lose the motivation to fulfill obligations, and appear emotionally distant.
Affective Dysregulation: This includes mood swings or anxiety symptoms. Someone experiencing affective dysregulation may become moodier, develop sadness or mood instability, and become more anxious or worried about routine matters.
Lack of Impulse Control: Impulse dyscontrol refers to the inability to delay gratification and control impulses. People with this issue may become agitated, irritable, or argumentative.
They might become stubborn, rigid, and unwilling to consider other perspectives. Sometimes, they develop inappropriate behaviors like gambling, shoplifting, or substance misuse.
Social Inappropriateness: This involves difficulties adhering to societal norms in interactions with others. A person who becomes socially inappropriate may lose their sense of what’s socially acceptable, discuss private matters openly, talk to strangers as if they were familiar, or lack empathy in their interactions.
Abnormal Perceptions or Thoughts refer to firmly held beliefs and sensory experiences. Individuals with abnormal perceptions or thoughts may become suspicious of others’ intentions, believe that others are plotting against them, or describe hallucinations like hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there.
Before jumping to conclusions about these behaviors, it’s crucial to rule out other potential causes, such as medication side effects, underlying medical conditions, interpersonal conflicts, or stress. If in doubt, consulting a doctor is advisable.
Dementia affects not only individuals but also their caregivers and society as a whole. By 2030, it is estimated that one million Canadians will be living with dementia.
While younger adults may think they have years before dementia becomes relevant to them, it’s essential to realize that dementia is a collective journey.
In 2020, care partners, including family members, friends, and neighbors, spent 26 hours per week assisting older Canadians with dementia.
This is equivalent to 235,000 full-time jobs or $7.3 billion annually. These numbers are expected to triple by 2050, emphasizing the need to find ways to prevent or delay the progression of dementia.
While there is currently no cure for dementia, progress is being made in developing effective treatments, mainly when administered early in the disease course.
Understanding how dementia symptoms evolve is crucial, and ongoing research, like the CAN-PROTECT study, explores various contributors to brain aging.
Recognizing behavioral changes in cognition, function, and behavior among older individuals is a step toward identifying those at risk for dementia.
Early intervention and preventive measures hold the potential to make a significant difference in the lives of those affected by this condition.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and Omega-3 fats and carotenoid supplements could improve memory.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and higher magnesium intake could help benefit brain health.
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