Christmas offers people the chance to spend time with their loved ones whom they have not seen for a while and this makes the holiday season the perfect time to notice changes in people, particularly the elderly, that could well be dementia symptoms.
With more family gatherings during the holidays, so does the surge in the number of people getting worried about seeing what could be possibly be early Alzheimer's symptoms in their friends or relatives.
Between December 2014 and January 2015, for instance, the number of calls received by the Alzheimer's Society Helpline increased by 60 percent as people who were worried about the mental state of their loved ones seek advice and help after the holidays.
Many of these callers are uncertain if they are seeing signs of dementia. A research launched by the charity shows that many are confused over what could be warning signs of dementia and what appears to be general absent-mindedness. With these, the Alzheimer's Society acknowledged the need for a greater understanding of signs that could indicate the presence of the illness.
"It's important we tackle confusion around what are and aren't signs of dementia, and help give people confidence in approaching loved ones about their concerns so people don't delay getting help," said Alzheimer's Society Chief Executive Jeremy Hughes.
Experts say that absent-mindedness can be attributed to sensory overload with absent-minded people having to juggle doing things all at once. They think of something else other than their current tasks, which can stray their focus.
Absent-mindedness, however, could be something much worse when it interferes with the ability of the person to function on a daily basis as this may no longer be caused by lack of attention or a busy schedule.
"Someone who misplaces their keys and gets frustrated and runs around looking for them may be absentminded," said Dr. George Grossberg, director of geriatric psychiatry at the St. Louis University School of Medicine. "On the other hand, the individual who misplaces their keys, doesn't know they are lost, and then forgets what they are for, that's a much different level of impairment."
Forgetting an unusual object or the name of a person can be attributed to an aging memory, but forgetting the names of close friends or very common objects could be something else.
People who suffer from the early onset of Alzheimer's also exhibit other problems other than absent-mindedness. Grossberg said that besides being forgetful, individuals suffering from the condition may have difficulties with speech, planning and problem solving and that these changes happen in such a way that they negatively affect the person's ability to go about with day to day life.
Dementia sufferers may also show changes in their ability to write and understand instructions. Mispronouncing words or having difficulty getting words out can also indicate dementia.
Repeated use of phrases or gestures or asking the same questions repeatedly could likewise indicate Alzheimer's as well as changes on a person's attitude towards something that they once enjoyed.
For those worried about their memory, experts recommend seeking help early as this ups the chance of receiving the correct diagnosis and getting the right support and treatment.
