What are the differences between age-related memory change and dementia?

It’s worrying if your older relative starts to become more forgetful, so how can you judge whether it is just age-related changes in memory or whether it’s the beginnings of dementia.

Here is a helpful check list to help you to decide, but if in any doubt, you must see the GP.

Is your elderly relative:

1. Forgetting to switch things on or off

   1. Rarely

   2. Often and getting worse

2. Confused in conversation

   1. Rarely

   2. Usually and getting worse

3. Forgetting details of events

   1. In part

   2. In full

4. Remembering the details of an event later on

   1. Often

   2. Hardly

5. Losing things

   1. Rarely

   2. Often

6. Able to follow written and spoken directions

   1. Usually

   2. Not usually and getting worse

7. Is able to write notes as reminders

   1. Usually

   2. Not usually and getting worse

8. Is able to care for themselves in general

   1. Usually

   2. Not usually and getting worse

If you’ve answered mostly 1s, you have nothing much to worry about, but if you have answered mostly 2s, you should take your older relative to see their doctor to have some tests.

You may find the following articles helpful:

A beginner’s guide to dementia

Supporting a parent with dementia

Recognising mild cognitive impairment

Dementia and hearing loss