Occasional confusion about the day of the week can happen to anyone.
However, repeatedly becoming confused about dates, seasons, locations, or how someone arrived at a particular place may be a warning sign that deserves medical evaluation.
A person may forget where they are, become disoriented in a familiar environment, or have difficulty understanding something that previously felt obvious.
4. Trouble Finding Words or Following Conversations
Changes in language can also appear during the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Someone may frequently struggle to find the right word, use an unusual word instead of the correct one, lose track of conversations, or have difficulty following a discussion.
For example, they may know what an object does but repeatedly be unable to remember its name.
Again, occasional word-finding difficulty is completely normal. What matters is whether the problem becomes persistent or progressively worse.
Alzheimer’s Is Not the Only Possible Explanation
This is an important point.
Memory loss, confusion, and difficulty concentrating can have many possible causes besides Alzheimer’s disease.
Certain medications, sleep problems, depression, anxiety, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid disorders, infections, and other medical conditions can sometimes cause cognitive symptoms.
Some of these causes may be treatable.
That is why noticing these symptoms does not mean someone should assume they have dementia.
