Symptom 4. Confusion with Time or Place: Losing Track in Dementia
Dementia often ushers in a sense of disorientation and confusion, particularly regarding time and place. This symptom is far more pronounced than the occasional forgetfulness of the day of the week, common even in healthy individuals.
In the early stages of dementia, individuals may lose track of dates, seasons, or the passing of time. They may struggle to understand events planned in the future or forget how they arrived at a location. They might also find it difficult to process whether an incident happened recently or in the distant past.
The disorientation can extend to confusion about their surroundings. They might face difficulties recognizing familiar places, or they might get lost easily. For example, they might take a walk around their neighborhood and find it challenging to navigate their way home, even though they’ve taken the same route countless times before.
As dementia progresses, this disorientation becomes even more pronounced. Individuals may not recognize their surroundings, even in places that should be familiar to them, like their home or neighborhood. In severe cases, they might wake up in their own bedroom but not recognize it as their own, creating feelings of fear and distress. (4)
