Signs of Dementia

"Struggling with tasks that were previously easy for the person."  Poster in Neurologist's Office

We made our every-few-week trek to the neurologist yesterday, and there was a posting of the 10 signs that might indicate dementia.  The first one listed was memory, which is not really a significant concern for Lewy Bodies Dementia, although it is more and more a concern as we go along.  The symptom that caused my first concern was his difficulty with a familiar task:  putting gas in a car.  He was unable to figure out how to make the gas pump work.  I knew this was significant because he had paid his way through high school and college working in a gas station.  Another common area of difficulty is anything to do with math:  writing checks, paying bills, etc.  All of us forget things, particularly when under stress, but to forget how to do something once easy for us is a real sign of concern.  If you have someone you love who has begun to demonstrate those difficulties, I recommend you find a good neuropsychologist and arrange for an evaluation.  That is one of the best places to start, unless you have a primary physician who is very good about listening to your concerns.