Recognising Dementia

How do we know when a family member or friend is starting to suffer from dementia?

This is a question which people often ask when they realise that their parent or family member is no longer able to function without some assistance.

With normal ageing, our elders tend to become forgetful, but still maintain their logic. Once one’s logic is affected, this could be the start of Dementia.

Signs of early Dementia include: • Losing or misplacing things and accusing others of “hiding” or

“stealing” them. • Being unable to find the right words when speaking. • Finding difficulty in performing everyday tasks such as showering or preparing a meal. • Forgetting things that happened recently. • Finding difficulty in planning or organising anything. • Making decisions with uncharacteristically poor judgement. The present situation caused by Covid-19 is affecting the elderly quite significantly. As we get older, it is important that we maintain a healthy lifestyle, including socialising and being active. This has been noticeably missing in our lives over the past few months and has caused many of us undue stress, particularly as we have been unable to visit friends or relatives, or have our families visit us. Depression forms a large part of the signs and symptoms of Dementia and it is important, if one is depressed, to chat to your doctor.

If you are having difficulty managing on your own, it is important to get assistance from either the Care Centre or your neighbours and friends. It is important to use your support system to its utmost and also ensure that your friends and neighbours are managing their lives too.

For more information, please contact Ruth Sanderson to discuss your particular situation on 082 789 2523 or 031 - 765 3561 or

ruthsanderson03@gmail.com.

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