Reading Comprehension Decline and Dementia Many older adults notice it is harder to follow a story in a book or understand what they read. This reading comprehension decline can signal early dementia. Dementia means a drop in thinking skills beyond…
Movie Plot Confusion in Dementia Imagine settling into your favorite armchair for a night of movies. The screen lights up with heroes, villains, and twists that keep you guessing. For most people, it’s pure entertainment. But for someone with dementia,…
Difficulty Following Stories in Dementia People with dementia often struggle to keep up with stories or conversations. This happens because their brain has trouble holding onto details and connecting ideas as the disease progresses. It is one of the early…
Literal Interpretation in Cognitive Decline People with cognitive decline often take things at face value. They struggle to grasp hints, sarcasm, or hidden meanings in words. This literal mindset shows up more as the brain ages or faces issues like…
Metaphors are figures of speech that compare two unlike things to make a point clearer or more vivid. For example, saying “time is a thief” paints a picture of how moments slip away unnoticed. These everyday tools help us communicate…
Sarcasm Misunderstood in Dementia Imagine saying to a friend, “Oh great, another rainy day,” with a roll of your eyes to show you really mean the opposite. That’s sarcasm, a way we spice up talks with irony or mockery. Most…
Why Jokes Stop Making Sense in Dementia Imagine sitting with a loved one who has dementia, telling a silly joke you have shared a hundred times before. You expect a chuckle, but instead you get a blank stare or confusion.…
Concrete Thinking in Cognitive Decline Concrete thinking means focusing only on what is right in front of you, like actual objects or simple facts, without grasping bigger ideas or what if scenarios. In healthy kids, it is a normal step…
Abstract Thinking Loss in Dementia Abstract thinking means understanding ideas that are not right in front of you, like figuring out what numbers mean in a checkbook or planning steps for a task. In dementia, this skill often fades early,…
Difficulty Understanding Consequences Many people struggle to grasp how their actions lead to certain outcomes. This challenge shows up in everyday life, from kids acting out in class to adults dodging chores at home. When someone cannot connect a choice…