5 Early Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease You Shouldn't Ignore

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From losing things to confusion, dementia is not just about memory loss.

Being able to spot warning signs quickly can buy you valuable time to intervene before it's too late. Here are 5 “early” signs you can't ignore.

There are five warning signs that can be wake-up calls.

Trouble planning or problem solving

Whether you're trying to follow a family recipe or keep track of monthly bills, some dementia patients have difficulty following a plan or working with numbers.

Alzheimer's disease can also cause problems with concentration, which can mean it takes you much longer to do things you normally do. One common sign of this category is “random errors” when managing finances or household bills.

Problems with familiar tasks

Like struggling to follow a family recipe, things you've done hundreds of times can suddenly feel foreign. People with Alzheimer's often have difficulty completing simple, everyday tasks, from driving to a familiar place to taping a favorite TV show.

Confusion with time or place

When you’re on vacation or taking a break from work, it’s easy to forget what day it is and let time slip by.

“However, people with Alzheimer’s lose track of not only dates but also seasons. Patients may even forget where they are and how they got there.”

Problems with words in spoken or written language

If you continue to find yourself unable to follow or join in on a conversation, this could be a red flag.

Sometimes patients will stop in the middle of a conversation and not know how to continue, or they may repeat what they’ve already said.

They may also have problems with vocabulary, have trouble naming familiar objects, or start using the wrong names.

Losing things

Always looking for your phone and keys? Misplacing or losing things is another early sign of Alzheimer's disease. Worse, patients often find that they can retrace their steps to find misplaced items again.