Dementia is a term that encompasses a variety of cognitive conditions (Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia). It’s typically defined by several symptoms rather than a single underlying cause. Dementia can develop due to a variety of different factors including environmental conditions, other health conditions (i.e., Parkinson’s disease), physical trauma, or age related cognitive decline that result in cognitive impairment.

Some of the earliest symptoms of dementia are easily overlooked, such as:

1. Memory loss
Memory loss is the most notable symptom of dementia. The fact that it’s such a widely known symptom can help people notice it in early stages. However, it’s also an easy symptom to write off as pure forgetfulness. Everyone has moments of forgetfulness, but when it becomes a recurring problem the patient should see a doctor.

2. Problem solving difficulties
Issues with problem solving are easy to overlook due to the fact that people can often get through the day without much active effort. A large amount of people’s lives are spent tackling familiar tasks. If someone finds a new challenge difficult it shouldn’t be taken as out of the ordinary. But if a patient runs into difficulties with routine tasks (they completed before without trouble, for instance, opening a jar), it might be a symptom of early dementia.

3. Confusion about time and place
Confusion over time and place is a lot easier to notice in others than in your own life. People tend to make excuses and see their own mistakes as understandable. That’s why it’s important to be open to anyone who points out that moments of confusion are becoming more and more frequent. If one does start to forget the day, or more severely, where they are, it’s especially important to see a doctor.

4. Challenges understanding visual information
People often overlook this sign of dementia due to lack of awareness. Most people simply don’t know that problems with vision are a common sign of early stage dementia. Difficulties with visuoperceptual may include issues seeing around the edge of vision (or visual field) when looking straight ahead, or being less able to differentiate different colours (i.e., blue and purple).

5. Speech issues
Dementia related speech issues often manifest as an inability to speak fluidly. For example, someone might trail off in the middle of a story. They might even find themselves having trouble finishing sentences. It’s not unusual to stumble over one’s own words every now and then. But when it happens frequently it might be a sign of early stage dementia.

6. Misplacing personal items
Misplacing one’s personal items is another aspect of memory loss. This can manifest in two ways. People often forget where they want to put something and end up placing it somewhere unusual. Or someone might forget where they put something and end up unable to find it. Either can be a symptom of dementia, and paranoia someone is stealing from them may become an issue.