If your mum has started repeating herself in conversation, or your dad got confused on a route he has driven for years — it is natural to wonder whether something is wrong. The early signs of dementia are often subtle, and many overlap with the ordinary effects of getting older. But there are specific changes that are worth taking seriously. This guide covers what those signs of dementia are, how they differ from ordinary forgetfulness, and when to take the next step with a GP.
What is dementia — and how is it different from normal ageing?
Dementia is not a single disease. According to the NHS, it is a collection of symptoms that result from damage to the brain caused by different conditions — the most common being Alzheimer’s disease, followed by vascular dementia. These symptoms vary depending on which part of the brain is affected, and they affect every person differently.
Crucially, dementia is not a normal part of ageing. The NHS is clear on this point. Most people experience some degree of memory change as they get older — occasionally forgetting a name, taking longer to recall something, or needing a moment to find the right word. These mild changes are common and do not, on their own, indicate dementia.
What distinguishes the early stages of dementia is not occasional forgetfulness, but a pattern of changes that are persistent, worsening, and beginning to interfere with everyday life. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, around 982,000 people are currently estimated to be living with dementia in the UK — around 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 — and the number is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.
The early signs of dementia
The following signs are drawn from NHS guidance, the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK. They are common across the most frequent types of dementia, though not every person will experience all of them, and some types of dementia present differently in their early stages.
- Memory loss that affects daily life. The most widely recognised first sign of dementia is difficulty remembering things that happened recently — not decades ago, but yesterday or last week. Someone might forget a conversation they had that morning, ask the same question several times in one afternoon, or repeatedly put objects in unusual places and have no memory of doing so. This is distinct from occasionally mislaying something, then retracing your steps to find it.
- Difficulty with familiar tasks. Struggling to manage tasks they have handled independently for years — following a familiar recipe, keeping on top of bills, or working out change at a till — is one of the common early symptoms noted by the NHS. Someone in the early stages of dementia might find it difficult to follow a sequence of steps they have completed many times before, or feel confused by an appliance they have owned for years.
- Problems with language and conversation. Losing the thread of a conversation, stopping mid‑sentence without being able to continue, or consistently using the wrong word without noticing — these go beyond the occasional pause while searching for a name. The Alzheimer’s Society describes this as one of the more noticeable signs of dementia for those around the person.
- Confusion about time and place. This might mean losing track of what day or month it is, becoming uncertain about the season, or — more significantly — becoming disoriented in a familiar neighbourhood or not remembering how they got somewhere. Occasional lapses in knowing the exact date are normal; repeated confusion about where or when they are is worth noting.
- Difficulty with planning and problem‑solving. Someone may begin to find it harder to follow a sequence of steps, make decisions, or concentrate on tasks that require sustained thought. The Alzheimer’s Society notes that this can affect abilities like managing finances or planning ahead — things a person may have handled independently for years.
- Mood and personality changes. A person may become more anxious, withdrawn, or irritable than they used to be, or lose interest in hobbies and people they previously cared about. Because these changes overlap with the symptoms of depression and anxiety, they are often the signs of dementia that go unrecognised the longest. The NHS lists mood changes among the common early symptoms.
- Withdrawal from social activities. Losing interest in socialising, giving up hobbies, or becoming more passive in conversations are all noted by the Alzheimer’s Society as possible early signs of dementia. In some cases this is driven by the person becoming aware that something has changed and finding social situations harder to manage.
Normal ageing or something worth discussing? A quick comparison
This table is not a diagnostic tool — only a GP or specialist can assess dementia. But it may help you think about whether what you are noticing feels different from ordinary age-related change.
The key questions are: Is this happening more often than before? Is it getting worse? Is it starting to affect daily life? If the answer to any of those is yes — and particularly if more than one of the signs in the table is present — it is worth booking an appointment with a GP.
A note on dementia in women and men
In the UK, two out of every three people diagnosed with dementia are women. According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, the main reason appears to be that women live longer than men, and age is the biggest risk factor for dementia. Other possible factors are being studied, including the role of hormonal changes around the menopause, but the evidence here is still developing.
What matters practically is that dementia symptoms in women are sometimes attributed to menopause, depression, or stress — which can lead to delays in diagnosis. If you are a woman noticing persistent changes in memory or thinking, or if you are concerned about your mother, it is worth raising the possibility of dementia with a GP explicitly, rather than assuming the changes are hormonal.
Young-onset dementia — occurring before the age of 65 — is more common in men. Frontotemporal dementia, which often affects behaviour and language rather than memory first, also tends to present at a younger age than Alzheimer’s disease, with the NHS noting that most cases are diagnosed in people aged 45 to 65.
When to see a GP
There is no single trigger that means you must go to a GP immediately. But there are circumstances in which booking an appointment soon makes sense.
Several of the signs above are present at the same time. One change in isolation might have another explanation. A cluster of changes — memory, language, mood and everyday tasks all showing some shift — is a stronger reason to seek assessment.
The changes are getting noticeably worse. Normal age-related changes tend to be stable or very gradual. If something has clearly deteriorated over weeks or months, that progression matters.
The person themselves is worried. Self-awareness of memory problems is common in the early stages of dementia, and many people delay seeking help because they are frightened. According to Alzheimer’s Research UK’s 2025 report Seeing the Unseen, one in three people with dementia symptoms had them for more than a year before help was sought. If your parent is worried, or if you are, that concern is enough reason to make an appointment.
Family or friends have noticed changes the person themselves hasn’t. It is common in early dementia for the person to be less aware of their own changes than those around them. If you have noticed a pattern over several weeks, that observation has value in a GP appointment — even if your parent feels they are fine.
How to prepare for the GP appointment
A GP appointment for memory concerns typically lasts ten to fifteen minutes. Arriving with some preparation makes a significant difference.
Keep a simple note over two to four weeks of what you have observed — what happened, roughly when, and how often. You do not need clinical language; plain descriptions of specific incidents are more useful than general statements like “her memory has got worse.”
If possible, accompany your parent to the appointment. The GP will often want to hear from someone who knows the person well, because a person’s own account may not capture the full picture.
When you arrive, it helps to be specific: “She has been asking the same question several times a day for the past month, and last week she became confused about where she was on a walk she has done for years” is more useful than “she seems forgetful.”
What happens at the GP
A GP will check whether any existing conditions — such as heart disease, diabetes, depression or thyroid problems — are being properly managed, and will review any medicines being taken. Some conditions that affect memory, including thyroid problems, vitamin B12 deficiency and depression, can produce symptoms similar to early signs of dementia and are treatable — so ruling these out is an important first step.
The GP will also carry out a brief cognitive assessment. Tools commonly used in the UK include the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination), the MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment) and the ACE-III. These are short question-and-answer assessments that check memory, language, attention and orientation. A result below a certain threshold does not confirm a dementia diagnosis — it indicates whether a referral to a specialist memory clinic is appropriate.
If the GP refers your parent on, the specialist assessment will involve more detailed testing and, in some cases, brain imaging. Getting to this stage is a positive step: it is the route to a clear diagnosis, access to support, and the ability to plan ahead.
If you’re concerned about a parent from a distance
Noticing the early signs of dementia is harder when you do not see someone every day. Phone calls can seem fine even when things are not — people often hold it together for a short conversation in a way that masks what is happening day to day.
A few things are worth paying attention to during phone calls: repetition within the same conversation, difficulty following the thread of what you are saying, unusual anxiety or confusion about everyday things, and changes in topics they used to talk about freely. If they seem vaguer or less engaged than usual, and this is consistent across several calls, it is worth taking note.
Keeping a brief record of what you notice — and when — gives you something concrete to bring to a GP appointment, rather than a general impression. A picture of how your parent has been feeling and functioning over several weeks is more informative than a single snapshot from one conversation.
If you’ve noticed changes in a parent — book a GP appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Can dementia be cured or reversed?
Currently, there is no cure for the most common forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. However, early diagnosis matters: it opens access to medication that can help manage symptoms for some people, to support services, and to the opportunity to make plans while a person still has the capacity to do so. The NHS also notes that in some cases — particularly vascular dementia — treating the underlying cause can slow progression.
What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for around 60–70% of cases. Dementia is the umbrella term for a set of symptoms; Alzheimer’s is one of the conditions that causes those symptoms. Other causes include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia.
Is dementia hereditary?
For most people, dementia is not directly inherited. The Alzheimer’s Society notes that having a close relative with dementia does slightly increase risk, but that most cases are not caused by a single inherited gene. A small number of families carry genetic mutations that cause early-onset dementia — if this is a concern, a GP can advise on whether genetic counselling is appropriate.
At what age do early signs of dementia typically appear?
Most cases of dementia are diagnosed in people aged 65 and over. Young-onset dementia — where symptoms begin before 65 — affects a smaller proportion of people and has different patterns depending on the type.
Sources
- NHS, Symptoms of Dementia — nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/symptoms
- NHS, What is Dementia — nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/about-dementia/what-is-dementia
- NHS, Tests for Diagnosing Dementia — nhs.uk/conditions/dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/tests
- Alzheimer’s Society, Signs and Symptoms of Dementia — alzheimers.org.uk
- Alzheimer’s Society, How Many People Have Dementia in the UK — alzheimers.org.uk (April 2024)
- Alzheimer’s Research UK, Sex, Gender and Dementia — alzheimersresearchuk.org (updated July 2024)
- Alzheimer’s Research UK, Seeing the Unseen: Rethinking Dementia Diagnosis — alzheimersresearchuk.org (September 2025)
- Nuffield Trust, Dementia Care in Primary and Secondary Care in England — nuffieldtrust.org.uk (2025)
