Dementia symptoms can vary day to day or moment to moment, it’s not easy to pinpoint when it’s time for memory care. There are several tell-tale warning signs it’s time for memory care looks for during patient visits — red flags that Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia may be a concern. “Looking at someone, you can sometimes see they’re not as tidily dressed, their hair’s disheveled, or they’ve lost significant weight because they forgot to eat,” he says. If a senior seems agitated, lost, or can’t carry on a conversation, those are concerning signs. From there, doctors may ask questions about a senior’s day-to-day life, or perform a brief mental status exam.

Bringing up safety concerns is an important way to make family members aware of dementia behaviors. They may ask relatives or caregivers if:

• Their elderly loved one is leaving burners or appliances on after cooking
• A pet is being cared for properly
• There have been any emergency room visits
• Their aging parent has any bruises they can’t explain or don’t remember getting
• Wandering or getting lost has put their loved one in dangerous situations

Ask yourself if your senior family member’s safety needs are being met, or if they could use extra help to avoid dangerous situations.