September 12, 2025, 7:58 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Memory issues in old age are often harmless and part of normal aging. However, sometimes they can be early signs of dementia. It’s important to know the differences—and to understand when a doctor’s visit is advisable.
What Exactly Does Dementia Mean?
When suspecting dementia, it’s crucial to clarify terms. “Dementia and Alzheimer’s are often confused,” explained Prof. Oliver Peters, senior physician at the Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Charité in Berlin in 2023 to the “dpa.” The shortest explanation is: “Dementia has many causes, Alzheimer’s is the most common.”
Dementia is discussed when cognitive and emotional impairments affect daily life for at least six months. In advanced stages, this means someone else must care for the affected person, and a self-determined and independent life is only possible to a limited extent, according to Peters. The syndrome can have many causes and is associated with various diseases, some of which are treatable.
If Alzheimer’s disease leads to dementia symptoms, there is still no causal therapy to cure the disease. Nevertheless, it can be worthwhile to have clarity as early as possible and to take potential warning signs seriously. A symptomatic therapy can significantly improve the quality of life.
Signs That May Indicate Dementia
“A visit to the doctor is generally advisable if memory problems are new and persistent or if important things for the affected person are forgotten,” explained Prof. Janine Diehl-Schmid, head of the Center for Cognitive Disorders at the Klinikum rechts der Isar in Munich. The same applies “if the affected individuals inappropriately often repeat questions or conversation topics because they can no longer remember that they have already told or asked this or that.”
Orientation problems or difficulties using a smartphone, computer, or coffee machine are warning signs—provided these tasks were previously performed without issues.
If relatives notice such signals, they should address them gently and repeatedly with empathy. “There is the phenomenon of lack of insight into the illness, which often occurs in the context of dementia diseases,” explained Oliver Peters. It can lead to defensive reactions if too much pressure is applied and the topic is not addressed empathetically enough.
What Are the First Signs of Dementia?
Misplacing a wallet, losing keys, or mixing up birthdays—a certain forgetfulness in old age is normal. Many older people also find it harder to adapt to new situations or learn new things. But this alone is not an indication of dementia. Typical signs of early dementia include:
- Frequently forgetting words that were once used daily.
- Significantly reduced ability to concentrate.
- Complex tasks requiring planning and logical thinking become much more difficult.
- Loss of temporal orientation: Affected individuals often don’t know what day or year it is.
- It becomes more common to not know where one is or to get lost.
- Not remembering events from yesterday, while experiences from the distant past—such as school days—remain present.
- Many affected individuals feel listless, anxious, or irritable—often also embarrassed because they make more mistakes or forget so much.
Important: These signs alone do not allow for a diagnosis. Anyone concerned should seek medical advice. Only a medical examination can determine if dementia is indeed present.1
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What to Do If Dementia Is Suspected?
A primary contact can be the family doctor, who ideally has known the patient for several years. “However, our experience is that in general practices, the early stages of dementia or the pre-dementia stage are often overlooked,” says Janine Diehl-Schmid. “Moreover, general practices rarely have the means for further diagnostics.”
Here, private neurologists or psychiatrists could be a good option to determine whether “only” forgetfulness is present or if it is early dementia.
Oliver Peters recommends visiting a so-called memory clinic, for which addresses can be found online, such as on the website of the German Alzheimer’s Association or the Competence Network Dementias.
“If a pre-dementia stage is indeed diagnosed, there is no therapy,” says psychiatrist Diehl-Schmid. “But for many people, it’s important to know what’s going on. They learn how to prevent the progression of the disease and plan their lives accordingly.”
What Can Affected Individuals and Relatives Do?
Even at the first signs of dementia, it is advisable to initiate a medical evaluation. This can rule out treatable causes and start appropriate therapies early. It’s also important to address legal matters such as power of attorney, care directives, and living wills in a timely manner. Contacting care counseling—for example, at AOK—can be helpful to apply for benefits from the nursing care insurance if needed.
Additionally, it is recommended to adapt the home to the needs of the patient and to look for additional care options such as day care or a nursing service early on. However, much sensitivity is required in the initial steps, like doctor visits or legal arrangements, as affected individuals often do not share their relatives’ assessments and may initially reject corresponding measures.
A person with dementia gradually loses cognitive abilities such as remembering, thinking, learning, and judging. Orientation, emotional skills, and language abilities can also be affected. Typical early symptoms include word-finding or orientation problems and a declining short-term memory. It is often noticeable that memories from the distant past remain retrievable. Personality changes can also occur, with the extent depending on the specific disease. All forms of dementia share the characteristic that impairments increase as the disease progresses.
However, not only in dementia but also in depression, memory gaps or confusion can occur. Therefore, a medical evaluation is crucial to make an accurate diagnosis and initiate the right treatment.2
*With material from dpa