Signs of Dementia

Dementia is described as a cognitive impairment that affects a person’s ability to manage their life, manage their social interactions or perform basic functions. In the United States, about 5.8 million people suffer with dementia and the risk increases the older an individual gets. Three percent of people aged 65-74 have dementia but this rises to 17 percent for someone 75-84 and then 32 percent for those over the age of 85.

Many families are facing having an aged loved one diagnosed with dementia. Dementia does not just cause memory loss, it also can change a person’s personality and take away their ability to make rational decisions. What are some first steps a person should take when a family member is diagnosed with dementia?

The first thing I think about is safety—is the person living in a safe situation and making safe decisions. Begin by evaluating their driving habits. Examine the car and see if there are a number of dents on the car. Have they been getting tickets or involved in accidents? Have they called you from somewhere and gotten lost? These are all warning signs that they should not drive. Driving in the United States especially here in Oklahoma is a sign of independence. It may be important to get in the car and have the individual drive. They may be safe to drive down the street to the drug store but not across town to the mall. If they are willing to be limited on their driving like only going short distances or only during the day I recommend putting a GPS tracker on the car to make sure they are being safe. If it becomes necessary to take the keys make sure to give them alternatives to driving. You can hire individuals that can drive them or take turns driving them with different friends and family. If they refuse to quit driving you may need to let their doctor know, or inform the department of motor vehicle safety.

The second thing to examine is their nutritional needs and their food. Look through the cabinets and refrigerator and see if they have food to cook and food that has not spoiled. It is easy to forget when a package or container of food was opened and then eat something that gives them food poisoning. See if they have eaten items left for them in their refrigerator. Sometimes a person with dementia forgets where the food is so they only eat crackers because that is what is sitting out on the counter. Listen and see if they complain about being hungry or if their clothes are getting looser. Along with food make sure they have a way to prepare their food safely. Look and see if they have burned pots and pans to make sure they are not leaving the stove on. If you suspect they could start a fire this would be a good time to have a family visit and place cameras in the house and determine if they are being unsafe. Some individuals forgot how to use the microwave so it might be a good idea to sign them up for meals on wheels that bring them a hot meal during the week.

People with early signs of dementia can become trusting of people and get themselves scammed or in some dangerous situations. I had a client where family said a man told her he had mowed her lawn and she owed him one hundred dollars. She said she did not have any cash and he said I can take you to the bank. She let him drive her to the bank and get him the money. Thankfully something worse did not happen to her. It is important that they will not just leave the house and walk away and wander either by themselves or with a stranger. This is also the time to protect their assets and make sure that trusting people either family or a trust manager is monitoring their bank and investments so that their assets are protected for their care.

Finally, we look at how a person manages their medication. Maybe the medications need to be set up in some type of planner and the person can take their medication independently. But this also needs to be monitored because many individuals with dementia will get their days mixed up and could take medications two days in a row. Some people will purchase machines that dispense medications at a certain time of the day and set off an alarm. One of the most common ER visits for older individuals is having taken too much or too little medication. This is a common reason that those with dementia will move out of their home. It is important to always think about safety when a person has dementia but is still living at home.

JANUARY 2023

Employee of the Month

I love being a caretaker. I love hearing the stories they have and I also enjoy getting some of the wisdom they’ve gathered over the years. Knowing that I make a difference each day, makes me love my job at ComForCare Home Care.

Amy Watkins

FEBRUARY 2023

Employee of the Month

Why I love being a caregiver! With a degree in Accounting, my heart longed for more in life. Being a Natural Nurturer by heart, I always felt I wanted to do something in the medical field. I wasn’t really interested in going back to school to achieve that though. After taking care of & losing both my mother and father-in-law this past August & September to cancer, I knew it was time to do what makes me happy. Helping take care of others is truly where my heart is and that is why I love being a caregiver with ComForCare Home Care.”

MARCH 2023

Employee of the Month

“I really like being there for my client. I enjoy the time we spend together. It feels good to help them. I enjoy working for ComForCare Home Care.”