Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPersonal HygieneDressGait and Motor ActivityFacial ExpressionWhat to Do if You’re ConcernedSummaryNext in Dementia Guide13 Diseases Linked to Dementia
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Personal Hygiene
Dress
Gait and Motor Activity
Facial Expression
What to Do if You’re Concerned
Summary
Next in Dementia Guide
Several strong visual clues can indicate that someone may havedementiasuch asAlzheimer’s disease. For example, a person with dementia may have changes in the way they walk or move and/or their facial expressions may seem inappropriate in some situations.
This article discusses some of the visual clues you might notice in a person who is developing dementia. It also offers some advice on what you should do if you suspect a loved one may be showing signs of dementia.
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Previously clean and tidy individuals may begin to look unkempt. Problems with poor toileting habits, bathing, and incontinence may cause staining and odors. Appearance, previously important, may gradually lose meaning.
When someone with dementia dresses without assistance, they can struggle withputting clothes onin the wrong order, choosing clothes that go well together, and wearing clothes that are not appropriate for the weather.
Some people will attempt to wear the same clothing every day because they’ve forgotten that they wore it the last three days in a row. A person with dementia may also not notice stains or odors on clothing.
Different types of dementia canaffect gait and posture. You may observe this as hesitant steps,difficulty with visuospatial taskssuch as going up and down stairs, or challenges with balance.As dementia progresses into the later stages, the majority of the person’s functioning declines.
You may also see decreased physical movement due to apathy, or increased movement such as frequentwanderingand restlessness.
Slower Walking in Older Adults Could Signal Early Dementia, According to Research
Facial expression in people with dementia may be affected, even in the earlier stages. The person’s facial expression may be inappropriate to the situation at times, such as laughing in a serious or sad time or sudden tearfulness when there doesn’t seem to be any trigger. People with dementia may also reflect feelings of anxiety, depression, agitation, bewilderment, or a lack of feelings.
Remember that these visual signs are only one aspect of the person, and they may be related to other conditions. Additionally, some people with dementia initially demonstrate very few of these visual clues, causing surprise when they’re diagnosed with dementia because “they look so healthy.”
A person with dementia may show subtle visual signs of the condition. For example, they may seem to stop caring about hygiene and personal appearance, and they may struggle with dressing themselves. Changes in gait or posture and facial expressions that sometimes seem inappropriate are other signs of dementia.
If you’re concerned that a loved one may be developing dementia, make an appointment with their healthcare provider.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Alzheimer’s Association.Dressing and grooming.Lee NG, Kang TW, Park HJ.Relationship between balance, gait, and activities of daily living in older adults with dementia.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2020;11:2151459320929578. doi:10.1177/2151459320929578UCLA Health.Depression and apathy.Park S, Kim T, Shin SA, et al.Corrigendum: Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence for facial emotion recognition in elderly Korean adults with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and frontotemporal dementia.Front Aging Neurosci. 2019;11:91. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00389Prasad S, Katta MR, Abhishek S, et al.Recent advances in Lewy body dementia: A comprehensive review.Dis Mon. 2023;69(5):101441. doi:10.1016/j.disamonth.2022.101441
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Alzheimer’s Association.Dressing and grooming.Lee NG, Kang TW, Park HJ.Relationship between balance, gait, and activities of daily living in older adults with dementia.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2020;11:2151459320929578. doi:10.1177/2151459320929578UCLA Health.Depression and apathy.Park S, Kim T, Shin SA, et al.Corrigendum: Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence for facial emotion recognition in elderly Korean adults with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and frontotemporal dementia.Front Aging Neurosci. 2019;11:91. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00389Prasad S, Katta MR, Abhishek S, et al.Recent advances in Lewy body dementia: A comprehensive review.Dis Mon. 2023;69(5):101441. doi:10.1016/j.disamonth.2022.101441
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Alzheimer’s Association.Dressing and grooming.Lee NG, Kang TW, Park HJ.Relationship between balance, gait, and activities of daily living in older adults with dementia.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2020;11:2151459320929578. doi:10.1177/2151459320929578UCLA Health.Depression and apathy.Park S, Kim T, Shin SA, et al.Corrigendum: Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence for facial emotion recognition in elderly Korean adults with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and frontotemporal dementia.Front Aging Neurosci. 2019;11:91. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00389Prasad S, Katta MR, Abhishek S, et al.Recent advances in Lewy body dementia: A comprehensive review.Dis Mon. 2023;69(5):101441. doi:10.1016/j.disamonth.2022.101441
Alzheimer’s Association.Dressing and grooming.
Lee NG, Kang TW, Park HJ.Relationship between balance, gait, and activities of daily living in older adults with dementia.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2020;11:2151459320929578. doi:10.1177/2151459320929578
UCLA Health.Depression and apathy.
Park S, Kim T, Shin SA, et al.Corrigendum: Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence for facial emotion recognition in elderly Korean adults with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and frontotemporal dementia.Front Aging Neurosci. 2019;11:91. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00389
Prasad S, Katta MR, Abhishek S, et al.Recent advances in Lewy body dementia: A comprehensive review.Dis Mon. 2023;69(5):101441. doi:10.1016/j.disamonth.2022.101441
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