While diagnosing dementia should be left to a medical professional, there are signs we can all look for that can help us identify and assist those living with the disease. These include:
Non-verbal signs:
- Standing still, looking around for a long period of time
- Pacing
- Not dressed for the weather
Verbal signs:
- Difficulty finding a word
- Creating new words for ones that are forgotten
- Repeating a word or phrase (perseveration)
- Difficulty organizing words into logical sentences
- Repeating the same question within a short period of time
- Cursing or using other offensive language
- Reverting to a first language
- Talking less than usual
