Reading Difficulties in Dementia Explained
Dementia changes how the brain works, and one common issue is trouble with reading. This happens because parts of the brain that handle words, vision, and understanding get damaged over time. People with dementia might stare at a page but not make sense of the letters or sentences.
In vascular dementia, which comes from problems with blood flow to the brain, reading can become hard right alongside issues like paying attention or writing. The symptoms depend on which brain area is affected, but struggling to follow words on a page is a frequent sign. For example, someone might skip lines, read slowly, or mix up similar letters.
Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, also brings reading challenges. Early on, a person may have trouble judging distances or contrasts on the page, making black text on white paper blurry or hard to track. This visual-spatial problem turns simple reading into a puzzle, like misreading words or losing place midway through a sentence.
Other dementias, such as Lewy body or frontotemporal types, add language glitches that hit reading too. Forgetting common words means stumbling over familiar books. Conversations get tough as well, with repeating stories or losing track, which mirrors what happens when trying to read a story.
These reading issues often start small. A loved one might avoid newspapers or skip emails, saying the print is too small. But it is more than that: the brain struggles to connect letters into meaning. Mood shifts like frustration or withdrawal can follow, as reading was once a favorite pastime.
Visual perception plays a big role. People bump into things or misjudge space, and this extends to pages. Balancing while standing to read or parking a car safely can feel linked, all from brain changes. In early stages, it might look like normal aging, but when it disrupts daily life, it signals dementia.
Lack of brain activities like reading puzzles or books can speed up these problems. Keeping the mind active builds protection, slowing decline. Caregivers notice when routines break: forgetting recipes involves reading steps, or managing bills means scanning numbers and words.
Early spotting matters. Delays in checking symptoms waste time for help. Doctors can rule out other causes and suggest ways to manage, like larger print books or audio stories.
Sources
https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/dementia-information/types-of-dementia/vascular-dementia/symptoms/
https://inglesideonline.org/blog/understanding-senior-dementia-essential-insights-for-caregivers-and-families/
https://www.e4aonline.com/understanding-early-signs-dementia/
https://nursepartners.org/signs-of-dementia-in-older-adults-with-low-brain-engagement/
https://www.njstatelib.org/10-warning-signs-of-alzheimers-program-recap-2/
https://bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/dreading-a-dementia-diagnosis-wastes-precious-time-michigan-experts-warn/
