An important detail is that many people with dementia don’t recognize their own decline. Early in the disease, the brain’s awareness of the problem often fades. As a result, people may brush off concerns or become irritated when asked about it—usually not out of stubbornness, but because they genuinely don’t notice anything is wrong.
The Subtle, Everyday Signals That Often Appear First
In the earliest stage, changes tend to be small but uncharacteristic—“This just isn’t like him or her.” Over time, they form a pattern. Common early signs include:
- Forgetting recent events or appointments
- Difficulty organizing, planning, or problem-solving
- Losing track of time or place
- Trouble understanding new devices or routines
- Reduced concentration
- Finding belongings in odd places
- Struggling to find the right words
- Less initiative or motivation
- Less empathy or unusually blunt social behavior
It’s often the everyday tasks that reveal the biggest clues: the avid game player who suddenly doesn’t remember the rules, the confident cook who burns meals because multitasking has become too difficult, or the once-sharp conversationalist who now sticks to superficial exchanges.