Dementia symptoms checklist

Memory and mental ability

Question 1 of 7
Memory loss – difficulty learning new information or forgetting recent events or people’s names
Memory loss – difficulty learning new information or forgetting recent events or people’s names
Memory loss – difficulty learning new information or forgetting recent events or people’s names
How long has this affected you?
Struggling to find the right word
Struggling to find the right word
Struggling to find the right word
How long has this affected you?
Difficulty judging distances or mistaking reflections or patterns for other objects
Difficulty judging distances or mistaking reflections or patterns for other objects
Difficulty judging distances or mistaking reflections or patterns for other objects
How long has this affected you?
Struggling to make decisions, or making careless or risky decisions
Struggling to make decisions, or making careless or risky decisions
Struggling to make decisions, or making careless or risky decisions
How long has this affected you?
Losing track of time and dates
Losing track of time and dates
Losing track of time and dates
How long has this affected you?
Asking the same question over again, or repeating phrases
Asking the same question over again, or repeating phrases
Asking the same question over again, or repeating phrases
How long has this affected you?
Putting objects in unusual places
Putting objects in unusual places
Putting objects in unusual places
How long has this affected you?

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This includes struggling to learn new tasks and forgetting things that just happened. It does not include common signs of ageing, such as taking a bit longer to learn new things, or forgetting something that happened a while ago.

 

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

 

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

 

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

This includes forgetting what common words mean, using the wrong word, and having difficulty naming objects.

It does not include common signs of ageing, such as temporarily forgetting a word but recalling it later.

 

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

 

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

 

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

This includes misjudging distances when going up stairs or driving.

It does not include common signs of ageing, such as problems with your eyesight.

 

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

 

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

 

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

This includes not making informed, careful decisions when dealing with money or looking at risks. 

It does not include making decisions that others disagree with, if that’s always been normal for you.

 

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

 

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

 

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

This includes forgetting what year or season it is.
It does not include common signs of ageing, such as getting briefly confused about the day or the week but quickly realising.

 

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

 

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

 

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

This includes forgetting things you were only recently told.

It does not include common signs of ageing, such as forgetting something you were told a while ago.

 

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

 

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

 

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

This includes, for example, putting your house keys in the fridge.

It does not include forgetting where you put something, but being able to retrace your steps to find it.

 

Impacts daily life

The symptom is hard to manage. It stops you doing things you want to do.

 

Impacts to some extent

This symptom isn't severe. There are generally ways to cope with it.

 

Not affected by this

This symptom isn't noticeable.

Additional info guidance

Making new memories involves a part of the brain called the hippocampus. This often gets damaged during the early stage of dementia, which affects the ability to store and retrieve new information. This can be even if the person can clearly recall experiences from many years ago. 

 

The person may struggle to learn new tasks and forget things that just happened. This is different to common signs of ageing, such as taking a bit longer to learn new things, or forgetting something that happened a while ago.

Additional info guidance
Damage to the left hemisphere of the brain is linked to problems with semantic memory and language. The person may forget what common words mean, use the wrong word, or have difficulty naming objects. This is different to common signs of ageing, such as temporarily forgetting a word but recalling it later.
Additional info guidance
The person may have trouble navigating spaces, misjudge steps or curbs, or become frightened or confused by mirrors or shiny floors. These problems are often caused by damage to the occipital and parietal lobes towards the back of the brain.
Additional info guidance
Dementia can damage the frontal lobes, which control judgment, reasoning, and problem-solving. The person may find it hard to weigh up options, make poor financial or safety choices, or act impulsively.
Additional info guidance
The person may forget what year or season it is, miss appointments, or become disoriented between day and night. This is different to common signs of ageing, such as getting briefly confused about the day or the week but quickly realising.
Additional info guidance
Damage to the hippocampus means new information isn’t retained, so the person forgets things they were recently told and repeats themselves. This is different to common signs of ageing, such as forgetting something they were told a while ago.
Additional info guidance
Memory and spatial awareness problems impair the ability to recall where things belong or were last placed. This includes, for example, putting house keys in the fridge. It does not include the person forgetting where they put something, but being able to retrace their steps to find it.