They may also leave items in unusual places – for example, leaving the remote control in the bathroom, or tea bags in the fridge. If the person thinks an item should be somewhere and it's not, this may lead them to think that someone is hiding or stealing things from them.
individuals keep belongings out in the open or in unusual places because they may forget where they are if they cannot see them. If the clutter is not posing a safety or health hazard, then leave it as is. Restricting access to all drawers and cabinets can be distressing for a person who enjoys rummaging.
The primary reason seniors try to cover up their symptoms of dementia is fear. Many types of fear keep an older adult from seeking help. Seniors are afraid that they will lose their independence if they are diagnosed with progressive memory loss.
These false perceptions are caused by changes within the brain that result from Alzheimer's, usually in the later stages of the disease. The person may see the face of a former friend in a curtain or may see insects crawling on his or her hand.
Holding food or medications inside the cheeks. This is called pocketing. Your loved one may not be aware that there is something in their mouth to swallow. You may need to tell them to swallow.
Stage 6: Severe Mental Decline/Moderately Severe Dementia Quality of life: Severe impact. Your loved one will not remember much or any of the past and may not recognize you and other family and friends.
Lack of engagement and being withdrawn
As dementia progresses, it becomes more likely that a person will become withdrawn, but this doesn't mean that this withdrawal is caused directly by the dementia. A person with dementia is much more likely to become withdrawn because they feel isolated or bored.
It's common for a person living with dementia to wander or become lost or confused about their location, and it can happen at any stage of the disease. Six in 10 people living with dementia will wander at least once; many do so repeatedly.
People with dementia think about the same things that any human thinks about — emotions, relationships, daily life, tasks to accomplish, and more. However, dementia can change how you interact with the world because of its physical, mental, and emotional effects.
Here are some reasons a person might leave the home:
The person may be too hot or too cold and not know what to do about it. The room may be too noisy or overstimulating. If the person is bored, he or she may walk as something to do. The person may be searching for something that he or she believes is lost.
People with dementia may say or ask things repeatedly. They may also become very clinging and shadow the person caring for them, even following them to the toilet. These behaviours can be very upsetting and irritating for families and carers.
About 60 percent of people with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, will experience wandering, which most commonly occurs in the middle or later stages of dementia. Wandering or pacing can be beneficial in terms of relieving anxiety and providing exercise, for example.
They Might Be Bored
Is your friend with dementia staring zoning out and staring off into space? Sure, it might be because their ability to process information is decreased. However, it might also be that they need something other than Bingo to fill their time.
Introduction: The five-word test (5WT) is a serial verbal memory test with semantic cuing. It is proposed to rapidly evaluate memory of aging people and has previously shown its sensitivity and its specificity in identifying patients with AD.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
In the middle stage of dementia, symptoms become more noticeable and the person will need more support in managing daily life. This stage of dementia is often the longest. On average it lasts about two to four years.
Alzheimer's disease causes the person to develop a mask-like facial expression. This minimizes typical facial expressions of pain, like a drawn mouth or furrowed brows. Also, patients may have lost the cognitive ability to tell caregivers about their pain with phrases such as "this hurts" or "I am in pain."
An early indicator is forgetting recent events, even though memories from long ago are often crystal clear. There's an expression for that: “First in, last out.” It means that the first memories you make — long-term memories from childhood or young adulthood — are the last to fade.
If the person's mental abilities or behaviour changes suddenly over a day or two, they may have developed a separate health problem. For example, a sudden deterioration or change may be a sign that an infection has led to delirium. Or it may suggest that someone has had a stroke.
GREEN is a calming, tranquil color. It is closely associated with nature and is thought to evoke feelings of generosity and relaxation. Green is the easiest color on the eyes and can improve vision. Green is the last color dementia patients lose the ability to see; so green is a good color for caregivers to wear.
Some people have physical symptoms, such as tremors, muscle spasms or weakness, rigidity, poor coordination and/or balance, or difficulty swallowing. Psychiatric symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, also may occur, although these are not as common as behavioral and language changes.