{"id":7703,"date":"2026-09-26T23:55:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T23:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visiting-angels.co.uk\/cheshire-east\/?p=7703"},"modified":"2026-09-27T00:03:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T00:03:45","slug":"dementia-or-normal-ageing-signs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visiting-angels.co.uk\/cheshire-east\/dementia-or-normal-ageing-signs\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it dementia or just getting older? The 12 signs"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Quick summary<\/b><\/h3>

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.<\/span><\/p>

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Where the line sits<\/b><\/h3>

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 (<\/span>NHS, What is dementia<\/span><\/a>).<\/span><\/p>

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Usually normal ageing<\/b><\/p><\/th>

Worth talking to a GP about<\/b><\/p><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>

Forgetting a name, then remembering it later<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Forgetting recent events entirely, or asking the same question repeatedly<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Walking into a room and forgetting why<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Getting lost somewhere familiar<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Occasionally searching for the right word<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Regularly losing the thread of a conversation, or using the wrong words<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Making the odd mistake with a bill<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Struggling to manage money that was never a problem before<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Misplacing keys<\/span><\/p><\/td>

Putting things in odd places, such as keys in the fridge<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr>

Being tired or low after a bad week<\/span><\/p><\/td>

A lasting change in mood or personality<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>

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The 12 signs<\/b><\/h3>

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 (<\/span>NHS, Symptoms of dementia<\/span><\/a>). Here is what those look like in practice.<\/span><\/p>

  1. Forgetting recent things, not old ones.<\/b> Clear memories of fifty years ago, and no memory of yesterday’s visit. Recent memory usually goes first.<\/span><\/li>
  2. Asking the same question again and again.<\/b> Not occasionally, but within the same conversation.<\/span><\/li>
  3. Familiar tasks becoming hard.<\/b> 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.<\/span><\/li>
  4. Losing the thread of conversations.<\/b> Struggling to follow what is being said, particularly in a group, or stopping mid-sentence.<\/span><\/li>
  5. Word-finding problems.<\/b> Using the wrong word, or describing something rather than naming it: “the thing you write with” instead of “pen”.<\/span><\/li>
  6. Confusion about time and place.<\/b> Not knowing what day it is, or getting lost on a route they know well.<\/span><\/li>
  7. Difficulty with money.<\/b> Unpaid bills, unusual purchases, or being taken in by scams they would once have spotted.<\/span><\/li>
  8. Trouble planning and organising.<\/b> Managing appointments, medication, or anything with several steps.<\/span><\/li>
  9. Changes in mood or personality.<\/b> The NHS names irritability. Also anxiety, low mood, or becoming uncharacteristically suspicious.<\/span><\/li>
  10. Withdrawing.<\/b> Giving up hobbies, groups or friendships, often because keeping up has become hard or embarrassing.<\/span><\/li>
  11. Losing things and blaming others.<\/b> Items put in unusual places, and sometimes an accusation that someone has taken them.<\/span><\/li>
  12. Judgement changing.<\/b> Dressing for the wrong weather, leaving the cooker on, letting strangers in, or driving in a way that has started to worry people.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>

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    Not all dementia starts with memory<\/b><\/h3>

    Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type, usually does. Others often do not.<\/span><\/p>

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