Difficulty sorting money can indeed be an early sign of dementia, particularly in its initial stages. Dementia affects cognitive functions such as memory, judgment, and problem-solving, all of which are essential for managing finances. When someone starts having trouble organizing bills, making change, or keeping track of expenses, it may indicate that their brain is struggling with tasks that were once routine.
Handling money requires several mental skills working together: recognizing numbers and amounts, understanding the value of different bills and coins, planning payments, and remembering due dates. Early dementia can disrupt these abilities subtly at first. For example, a person might forget to pay a bill on time, misplace money, or become confused when trying to calculate change. These difficulties are not just occasional mistakes but persistent problems that worsen over time.
This financial confusion often appears alongside other early dementia symptoms such as memory loss, trouble finding words, or getting lost in familiar places. The brain areas responsible for executive functions—planning, organizing, and decision-making—are among the first affected by dementia. Since managing money is a complex task involving these functions, it becomes a sensitive indicator of cognitive decline.
It’s important to note that not every instance of trouble with money means dementia. Stress, fatigue, or temporary distractions can cause mistakes. However, when these problems become frequent and are accompanied by other cognitive changes, they warrant attention. Family members and caregivers should watch for patterns like missing bills, repeated questions about finances, or difficulty understanding simple transactions.
In practical terms, someone with early dementia might:
– Struggle to balance a checkbook or keep track of expenses.
– Forget to pay bills or pay the same bill multiple times.
– Have trouble counting out the correct change.
– Become easily overwhelmed by financial paperwork.
– Show poor judgment in spending, such as giving away money or falling for scams.
These signs reflect the brain’s declining ability to process and organize information. The person may also have difficulty concentrating or become confused by numbers that were once familiar.
Recognizing these early signs is crucial because it allows for timely medical evaluation and intervention. While dementia is progressive and currently incurable, early diagnosis can help manage symptoms, plan for the future, and improve quality of life. Healthcare providers often assess financial management skills as part of cognitive testing when dementia is suspected.
In summary, difficulty sorting money is a meaningful early warning sign of dementia because it reveals impairments in memory, judgment, and executive function. Paying attention to changes in financial abilities can help identify cognitive decline before it severely impacts daily life.
