Dementia can be a difficult syndrome to pin down into exact symptoms. A loved one or family member might have some increasingly puzzling behaviour, and you're left wondering if this is all you can expect to have to deal with, or what other symptoms of the disorder might crop up. Is there a set group of behaviours that leads to a dementia diagnosis, and what exactly are they?

What Is Dementia?

Dementia is a marked, prolonged decline in cognitive abilities a person once had. Brain damage of some form is the underlying cause, be that through a stroke, an infection or a tumor. In short, the sufferer may have disruptions in their normal ability to plan and organize and forgetfulness can become an important symptom of the disorder.

Memory retrieval is difficult or can even be impossible, and spatial location and direction can suffer greatly. The decline in cognitive abilities can stabilize or continue to degrade, but it's very clear that there is no cure for dementia; and both sufferers and care givers are better off learning to cope with the symptoms than grieving about what cannot be recovered.

Behavioural Changes to Expect

While it can be difficult to narrow down exactly what behavioural changes you should expect to see in the person suffering dementia, there are a few symptoms that are pretty standard. Forgetfulness is the most common one, though when speaking of forgetfulness, remember that every person experiences some blanks from time to time, and that we're speaking of long-term, progressively worsening memory lapses. Forgetting names, times and days of week happens frequently.

Familiar activities also end up taking a hit. The person who used to be so careful and tidy may end up becoming lazy or careless, leaving things lying around and not cleaning up. Someone who used to enjoy a game of chess or cards might find the mental task too difficult and eventually ends up lacking interest. The forgetfulness mentioned before comes into play, so someone who enjoyed cooking may end up burning more meals, as they forget pots on stoves.

Inability to recognize where they are or how they got there is another behavioural change you might expect. Dementia sufferers, especially in unfamiliar areas, tend to stop dead and wonder where they are or how to get back. They may not understand directions or be able to remember them long enough to get home, so it's best to never leave dementia patients on their own and always have someone accompany them on their outings.

Finding more information on the Internet or through support groups specifically tailored to dementia sufferers can help give a fuller idea of behavioural changes one might expect. Simple tasks such as getting dressed and choosing appropriate clothing fall into the group of symptoms of dementia, as does the inability of the sufferer to recognize friends and family. While symptoms may be varied, there are many that are common and resemble one another, and you can find a list on dementia organization websites or documentation.