Quick summary
Forgetting a name is normal. Forgetting how to get home from a shop you have used for thirty years is not. The difference is usually whether it affects daily life and whether it is getting worse. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing, and if you are worried, the NHS advice is to talk to a GP sooner rather than later.
Where the line sits
The NHS says it is normal for memory to be affected by stress, tiredness, certain illnesses and medicines, but that if memory loss is affecting daily life or worrying you or someone you know, you should get help from a GP. It is also clear that dementia is not a natural part of ageing (NHS, What is dementia).
Usually normal ageing | Worth talking to a GP about |
|---|---|
Forgetting a name, then remembering it later | Forgetting recent events entirely, or asking the same question repeatedly |
Walking into a room and forgetting why | Getting lost somewhere familiar |
Occasionally searching for the right word | Regularly losing the thread of a conversation, or using the wrong words |
Making the odd mistake with a bill | Struggling to manage money that was never a problem before |
Misplacing keys | Putting things in odd places, such as keys in the fridge |
Being tired or low after a bad week | A lasting change in mood or personality |
The 12 signs
The NHS lists common early symptoms that may appear some time before a diagnosis: memory loss, difficulty concentrating, finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word, being confused about time and place, and mood changes (NHS, Symptoms of dementia). Here is what those look like in practice.
- Forgetting recent things, not old ones. Clear memories of fifty years ago, and no memory of yesterday’s visit. Recent memory usually goes first.
- Asking the same question again and again. Not occasionally, but within the same conversation.
- Familiar tasks becoming hard. The NHS gives the example of getting confused over the correct change when shopping. Following a recipe they have made for years, or working the television remote.
- Losing the thread of conversations. Struggling to follow what is being said, particularly in a group, or stopping mid-sentence.
- Word-finding problems. Using the wrong word, or describing something rather than naming it: “the thing you write with” instead of “pen”.
- Confusion about time and place. Not knowing what day it is, or getting lost on a route they know well.
- Difficulty with money. Unpaid bills, unusual purchases, or being taken in by scams they would once have spotted.
- Trouble planning and organising. Managing appointments, medication, or anything with several steps.
- Changes in mood or personality. The NHS names irritability. Also anxiety, low mood, or becoming uncharacteristically suspicious.
- Withdrawing. Giving up hobbies, groups or friendships, often because keeping up has become hard or embarrassing.
- Losing things and blaming others. Items put in unusual places, and sometimes an accusation that someone has taken them.
- Judgement changing. Dressing for the wrong weather, leaving the cooker on, letting strangers in, or driving in a way that has started to worry people.
Not all dementia starts with memory
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type, usually does. Others often do not.
- Vascular dementia. The NHS notes memory loss may not be as obvious early on. Problems with attention, planning, walking and mood can come first, and symptoms can sometimes develop suddenly.
- Dementia with Lewy bodies. Fluctuating alertness and confusion from day to day or hour to hour, and sometimes visual hallucinations.
- Frontotemporal dementia. Changes in personality and behaviour, often at a younger age.
This is one reason families miss it. They are watching for forgetfulness and the first change is something else.
Sudden confusion is different
If someone becomes confused over hours or a day or two, that is not the pattern of dementia. It is often delirium, and the common causes include infection, dehydration and medication.
The NHS advice is to go to A and E or call 999 if someone suddenly becomes confused, because many causes need to be assessed and treated as soon as possible (NHS, Sudden confusion). Gradual forgetfulness over months is a GP appointment. Sudden confusion is not.
What else can look like dementia?
Several treatable things, which is the strongest reason to get it checked rather than assume.
- Depression, which can affect concentration and memory.
- Hearing loss, which can look like confusion because conversations are not being followed.
- Medication side effects, particularly sedating medicines or several medicines together.
- Thyroid problems or vitamin deficiencies, which a GP can test for.
- Mild cognitive impairment, where symptoms are real but not severe enough to be dementia. The NHS notes some people with it stay the same and some go on to develop dementia.
How to raise it with the GP
- Write down specific examples, with dates. “She got lost driving to the supermarket last Tuesday” is more useful than “her memory is going”.
- Go with them if you can. NICE recommends the GP takes a history from someone who knows the person well.
- If you cannot go, you can write to or ring the surgery with your concerns. They may not be able to discuss your parent with you without consent, but they can listen.
- Mention hearing, mood and medication, so the other causes get checked too.
The GP may carry out initial tests and blood tests and, if needed, refer to a memory service for a fuller assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my dad has dementia?
You cannot tell for certain from the outside. Look for changes that affect daily life and are getting worse over months, and take specific examples to a GP. Only an assessment can say whether it is dementia or something else.
Is some memory loss normal with age?
Yes. Occasional forgetting, particularly with stress or tiredness, is common. The NHS view is that if it affects daily life or is worrying, it is worth seeing a GP.
What if he refuses to see the GP?
Common. It sometimes helps to frame it as a general check-up, or to raise hearing or medication first. You can also contact the GP yourself with your concerns.
Is there any point getting a diagnosis?
Yes. It can rule out treatable causes, it can open up treatment for some types of dementia, and it gives time to make plans such as Lasting Powers of Attorney while the person can take part in them.
How common is dementia?
The NHS says more than 944,000 people in the UK have dementia, and about 1 in 11 people over 65.
About Visiting Angels Cheshire East
Visiting Angels Cheshire East provides care at home across Macclesfield, Wilmslow, Knutsford, Congleton, Alsager and the surrounding villages of East Cheshire, along with Buxton, Whaley Bridge and the Staffordshire Moorlands towns.
- Carers trained in dementia, alongside Parkinson’s, stroke recovery and complex care.
- You see the same faces. Our carer turnover is 12 per cent, against a sector figure of 23.7 per cent (Skills for Care, 2025).
- You choose your caregiver. You meet them before care starts, and if it is not right you say so and we send someone else.
- No visit is ever shorter than an hour. There is no such thing as a fifteen minute call here.
- Live-in care available, up to full time.
David’s mother in law is becoming increasingly confused:
“Visiting angels have been a massive help in the care for my mother in law, who is getting increasingly confused. They provide companionship and support every day proving to be very reliable and consistent. They are there at times we can’t be, due to all the commitments of work and grand children.”
David Figg, Google review
Not sure what you need yet? Start with a free assessment
Our free home care assessment is a visit at a time that suits you, with no obligation afterwards. In it we will:
- Work out what is actually difficult, and which times of day, which is usually what a visit should be built around.
- Talk through a realistic package, and what it would cost.
- Look at the money with you, and point you towards the funding, benefits and grants you may be entitled to.
- Tell you honestly if you do not need us yet, or if a GP appointment should come first.
If you are noticing changes and want to talk them through, call us on 01625 720157. You can also send an enquiry, and you can see what our services cover.
Authored by Dr Haroon Ahmad, Managing Director, Visiting Angels Cheshire East.
Published 21 September 2026. Last updated 21 September 2026.
This article is general information, not medical advice, and no substitute for assessment by a GP or memory service. It cannot diagnose dementia or any other condition, and the signs listed have many possible causes. The author is a director of the company and is not acting in a clinical capacity, and Visiting Angels Cheshire East provides personal care at home rather than medical or nursing care. If someone becomes suddenly confused, go to A and E or call 999. To the fullest extent permitted by law, GB Care at Home Ltd accepts no liability for any loss or injury arising from reliance on this article.
