What to expect in the early days
You’ve probably experienced some symptoms of dementia already. These might include problems with:
Memory – you might misplace things in your home and spend a lot of time searching for them. This is a common sign of Alzheimer’s disease, but less so for other forms of dementia.
Finding the right words – communication can be a problem. You might find you have issues processing what’s being said in a conversation or have trouble finding the right word to communicate something.
Getting lost – you might find you start losing your way a bit, even in places that are familiar to you.
Misjudging distance – your ability to use stairs can be affected: dementia can cause problems with visual perception.
Organisation – making decisions and planning your life might be tricky, especially when it comes to things like finances or solving common life problems. Making a decision about who can help you now, but also in the future, is important.
Mood and behaviour – feeling frightened, easily upset, sad, irritable, frustrated, anxious and losing interest in the things you used to enjoy are all common with dementia, as is losing confidence and becoming more withdrawn. Some types of dementia can lead to behavioural changes, including impulsive actions, a loss of social skills and/or a loss of inhibition leading to inappropriate behaviour. You may find your moods can change quickly, but there are ways to manage your moods. Creating a regular routine and healthy habits can help.
What you might need now
You might find that continuing your normal day-to-day life is achievable right now. On average, the early stages of dementia last for around two years, so it’s important you don’t give up your hobbies, interests and things that you enjoy as soon as you receive a diagnosis. Socialising and staying connected has real positive benefits and isolating yourself won’t help your mood and how you’re feeling.
However, you might find you need a little bit of assistance with daily living. These things can help:
Creating and sticking to a regular routine.
Doing things for yourself and retaining some independence, if you’re able.
Writing ‘to do’ lists, reminders and memory joggers and leaving them in visible places.
Looking for technology that makes life easier and ways to make your home safer.
Speak to friends, family and loved ones about things you feel you need help with. You can work together to find ways of making life easier for you. Be honest about things that worry you – sharing your concerns is the first step in tackling a problem.
Find support
Now is a really good time to put things in place so that you have people around you can trust who can help you, both now and in years to come.
Be open and honest about your concerns and wishes for the future. Take time to consider all areas of your life, from health, living arrangements and finances to legal matters. You can find some discussion points here
Money matters
Many people don’t like talking about money, but it’s important that you start thinking about it now and sharing your thoughts with your loved ones. Talk to someone you know you can rely on and trust about what you need to do next to get your legal and financial affairs in order. The earlier you start, the easier it will be later and the less stress it will cause further down the line. Click here to find out more