Do I have dementia?
It is common for people of all ages to experience forgetfulness and memory loss. Forgetfulness is not being able to remember something at a specific time, but probably being able to recall it later. This kind of forgetfulness is not cause for alarm.
Examples for normal forgetfulness include:
- Walking into the kitchen and forgetting what you went in for
- Misplacing your keys
- Forgetting the names of people
- Not remembering a specific place or brand name (the "tip of the tongue" experience)
However, there is a cause for concern when memory loss starts to affect the daily life of a person. Common signs of dementia may include:
- Memory loss which affects job skills
- Difficulty performing familiar tasks
- Problems with language
- Time and place disorientation
- Problems keeping track of things
- Repeatedly misplacing things and putting them in inappropriate places
- Changes in mood
- Changes in personality
- Loss of initiative
If you are worried about your memory you should see your GP. There are many treatable causes of memory loss such as depression, stress and side effects of medication.
This article – Memory loss: don’t panic but do get it checked out (August 2010) - written by Masterton GP Dr Liz Faulker goes into more detail about memory loss.
If your memory loss, or that of someone you are close to, is caused by dementia, an early diagnosis is critical for planning and treatment.
See the section 'diagnosis and assessment' for more information. You can also find out about ‘normal’ memory and the next step to go for help or diagnosis from our local offices, or by calling 0800 004 001.
