Early-Onset Dementia Symptoms to Look Out For

There are few things more distressing than seeing cognitive decline in someone you love. It is even more difficult to accept when the loved one has not reached old age yet. Early-onset dementia has been known to affect people as young as 30. This means that by the time they reach their mid-60s, the age at which most neurodegenerative disorders begin affecting people, they are already in the advanced stages of decline.

As a loved one, early-onset dementia symptoms might catch you off guard, but if you can identify them early, you will be able to get the support you need. Early assessment often means that you can work with them to develop a plan for the rest of their lives and minimize some of the struggles they will have to face.

The Facts About Early-Onset Dementia

Early-onset dementia is not a disease, but a syndrome. This means that, unlike a disease which has a specific cause, early-onset dementia is merely a collection of symptoms that often do not have a singular cause.

In many cases, early-onset dementia is linked to Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. It is currently estimated that cases of early-onset dementia in adults aged 30-64 have more than doubled in the United States in the last few years.

The fact that early-onset dementia is a syndrome, rather than a disease, means that it is difficult to define any risk factors. Studies suggest that genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle are involved in the development of early-onset dementia.

Many neurodegenerative disorders are genetic, meaning if they exist in a person’s bloodline, there is a risk that they will be passed on from relative to relative. In the case of early-onset dementia, only a physician will be able to provide reliable data on its risk factors and likelihood of occurrence in your bloodline.

Early-Onset Dementia Symptoms

Early-onset dementia symptoms look almost identical to dementia in elderly people, except that they occur in young and middle-aged adults. Dementia of any kind is life-changing, but early-onset dementia affects a person’s family, career, and future.

They become dependent on loved ones at an age where they would otherwise be the provider or leader of their family. Their loved ones must be able to spot early-onset dementia symptoms early and obtain the necessary medical support they need.

Early-onset dementia affects a person’s memory, language and communication abilities, mood regulation, and daily functioning. This affects all the major areas of a person’s life, meaning that their lives will change entirely at some point. As alarming as it sounds, the fact is that they will become dependent on loved ones and medical assistance to function. It is crucial to notice the specific signs that your loved one experiences and intervene as quickly as possible.

Memory Loss That Disrupts Daily Life

If you have seen an elderly person go through cognitive decline, you will know what this looks like. It is repeated questions, frequently forgotten information that they recently learned, and an increased reliance on reminders. They might forget their favorite sports team, the route to work, or their own child’s name. While this can be alarming and hurtful, it is not intentional; they literally can’t help it.

Challenges In Planning or Problem-Solving

One of the areas of life that people struggle with most when it comes to dementia is in the area of finances. Their decreased ability to plan or problem-solve means that their bills accumulate, their salary goes untouched or is abused, and they often find themselves in debt. Besides finances, they might struggle with something as simple as following a recipe or conducting business online.

Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks

When someone starts struggling with familiar or ordinary things, such as driving their daily route to work or going grocery shopping, it is a sign of cognitive decline. The inability to perform tasks as common and important as these means that they become dependent long before they ordinarily would. Without someone helping them, their quality of life will decline as fast as their cognitive abilities.

Confusion With Time and Place

Part of the daily functions that people with early-onset dementia symptoms struggle with is following time and knowing where they are and why. They might drive to the gym only to be panicked because they don’t know where they are or what they’re supposed to do there. Or they might start getting ready for work late on a Sunday night, hours before they are due at the office.

Trouble With Understanding Images and Spatial Relationships

One of the dangerous aspects of this kind of cognitive decline is struggling with depth perception and having balance that is thrown off. This makes tasks like driving incredibly difficult and dangerous because they cannot judge the speed or distance that other vehicles are traveling at. If your loved one is displaying this particular symptom of young dementia, it’s important to intervene as quickly as possible.

Problems With Speaking or Writing

Dementia affects different hemispheres of the brain, including the area responsible for communication. People with early-onset dementia symptoms regularly lose threads of conversations, have trouble joining in a new conversation, and often trail off because they have forgotten how to finish a thought. Not only does this affect their friendships and social life, but in many cases, it is disastrous for their career.

Misplacing Things and Struggling to Retrace Their Steps

It’s not unusual for a grandparent to misplace an important thing only to find it in an unlikely place. However, when it is your young loved one losing their phone and then finding it in the fridge, it is a different story. When they misplace items, they might start accusing others of having stolen them. They register the item’s disappearance, but can’t remember they were responsible for its last location.

Poor Judgment

When a previously grounded person begins making questionable and risky decisions, it is a sign that they are not thinking as they normally do. People with early-onset dementia usually begin acting out of character. This is most often first seen in their appearance, with grooming and hygiene that deteriorate quickly.

Withdrawal From Work or Social Activities

Part of the dramatic personality changes in someone displaying early-onset dementia symptoms is that they seclude themselves and drop off the social map. This is less noticeable in someone who was never sociable to begin with, but it is often a marked change in the extroverts. They may even decline visits from old friends, which often leads to isolation and depression.

Changes in Mood or Personality

Another clear indicator that someone is going through a major mental health event is that their moods become wildly dysregulated and, at times, their personality changes completely. A normally quiet and nurturing person might turn aggressive, or a naturally confident person might become shy and introverted. Though you might hope that it’s merely a phase, it might be an indicator of something more permanent and infinitely more worrying.

Hope For Their Future

Unfortunately, cognitive decline on this level is rarely curable. The best you can do for a loved one displaying early-onset dementia symptoms is to urge them to meet with a physician and get some tests done as quickly as possible.

You will likely have to help them with future appointments, timekeeping, note-taking, and medication. Another option is arranging support to perform these tasks. Other factors to consider include financial planning, their transportation needs, and potentially seeking legal advice if costly assets are involved in their estate.

Early-onset dementia is a life-changing thing to deal with. However, it is not the end of a person’s life, especially because they are still young. You might have to step up in a way you never prepared for, but you are never alone.

If you are supporting someone in cognitive decline, you also need support. Please consider meeting with a counselor for your own support. You can find one by visiting the online catalog of counselors or speaking with the reception team.