Dementia is no just a part of the natural aging process. It’s worse than that.
Caused by Alzheimer’s disease or other medical conditions, a person diagnosed with dementia will gradually lose their abilities to remember or do even the most basic things because of cognitive decline.
The decline will be much more profound than what is usual for a person’s age and biology.
In its later stages, dementia can contribute to a person’s death.
While dementia frequently does affect people in their 60s or above, it can affect younger people as well.
Obviously, dementia presents a host of problems for families in Wise County. Someone with dementia will eventually not be able to handle their own financial or legal matters.
They may require a guardianship so that a loved one has the authority under Texas law to protect the affected person’s property and legal rights. A guardian may also be needed to make critical medical decisions or other important decisions like where their loved one will live.
Those in the early stages of the condition will for the most part be able to continue their daily lives and handle their own affairs. They probably will be able to create their own estate plans, which can be a huge help in later probate or estate proceedings.
However, estate planning becomes a more immediate need for someone with dementia. Eventually, they legally may not be able to create valid estate planning documents because of their condition.
What are some early warning signs of dementia?
These are only some of the reasons why it is important for families to know early warning signs of dementia.
Since some of these signs can be confused for the ordinary aging process, family members should ask themselves whether what they are seeing is out of character for the person. In other words, is the problem new, more frequent, or noticeably worse?
Here are some of the warning signs:
- Short-term memory loss that interferes with a person’s life
- The loss of some basic cognitive functions, like the ability to follow directions, organize, or find a location. Routine tasks can get quite difficult and time-consuming
- Certain types of confusion, including confusion over the flow of a conversation, time and space or the correct words for common objects
- Loss of good judgment
- Emotional or behavioral changes
Texas residents who are dealing with dementia and their families should make sure they have their legal affairs in order.
