The early signs of dementia in an aging parent are easy to dismiss. A misplaced wallet. A repeated question. A name forgotten at a family gathering. Each moment, in isolation, looks like normal aging. The patterns, when you finally see them, are what change everything. 

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. For many families across Newport Beach, Orange County, and the Palm Springs region, this is the month they take a closer look at the changes they have been quietly noticing in a parent or grandparent. The numbers tell us why this matters.  

According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2026 Facts and Figures report, an estimated 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s. About one in nine people over 65 has the disease, and nearly two-thirds of them are women. 

Most cases are not caught early. The signs are often missed by the people closest to the person showing them, because love and routine work together to smooth over what should raise a flag. Here is what to actually watch for. 

Normal Aging or Something More? 

Memory changes happen with age. Forgetting a name and recalling it later, walking into a room and pausing to remember why, and occasionally misplacing the car keys. These are typical. 

Dementia is different in pattern and progression. The forgetting does not resolve. The same question is asked three or four times in an hour. A task that has been familiar for fifty years becomes confusing. The frequency and the loss of recovery are what separate normal aging from the early stages of a cognitive condition. 

The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias 

The Alzheimer’s Association has identified ten warning signs that distinguish cognitive decline from typical age-related changes. If you recognize several of these in an aging parent, it is time for a conversation with their physician. 

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life. Forgetting recently learned information, asking the same question repeatedly, and increasingly relying on notes or family members for things they used to handle on their own. 

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems. Trouble following a familiar recipe, difficulty managing monthly bills they have paid for decades, and taking much longer to do things than before. 

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks. Trouble driving to a location they have driven to a hundred times, managing the rules of a favorite game, or running through the steps of a morning routine. 

4. Confusion with time or place. Losing track of dates, seasons, or the passage of time. Forgetting where they are or how they got there. 

5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. Difficulty reading, judging distance, or recognizing color and contrast. These difficulties often show up first behind the wheel. 

6. New problems with words in speaking or writing. Stopping mid-sentence with no idea how to continue. Repeating themselves. Calling a familiar object by the wrong name (a “watch” becomes a “hand clock”). 

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps. Putting things in unusual places. Accusing family members of stealing the items they themselves moved. 

8. Decreased or poor judgment. Giving large amounts of money to telemarketers. Neglecting personal hygiene. Wearing the wrong clothes for the weather. 

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities. Stepping back from hobbies, social engagements, or projects they used to love. Often this is because keeping up has started to feel harder than it used to. 

10. Changes in mood and personality. Becoming confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful, or anxious. Easily upset at home or in unfamiliar settings. 

A single sign is not a diagnosis. Several signs, especially when they grow more frequent over months, warrant a medical evaluation. Early diagnosis matters. It gives the family time to plan, the patient access to treatments that work better the earlier they are started, and everyone involved a clearer view of the road ahead. 

How to Talk to an Aging Parent About What You Are Seeing 

This is often the hardest part. The conversation feels disloyal. The parent often pushes back. Some families wait years to bring it up. The waiting almost always costs them. 

A few guidelines that help: 

• Start the conversation from a place of care, not concern. “I want to make sure you stay independent as long as possible” lands differently than “I’m worried you’re losing it.” 

• Use specific examples without making them sound like a list of failures. One or two recent moments, not a year of grievances. 

• Make the doctor’s appointment part of the conversation, not the result of it. Offer to go with them. Frame it as a routine memory screening, which is what it is. 

• Loop in siblings before the conversation, not during it. Aligned siblings prevent the parent from feeling cornered or playing one against the other. 

When In-Home Dementia Care Helps 

A diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s, or another form of dementia does not have to mean moving a parent out of their home. For most families in Newport Beach, Orange County, and the Palm Springs region, the goal is exactly the opposite: staying home, staying familiar, staying themselves for as long as possible. 

In-home dementia care supports that goal. The right caregivers know how to redirect rather than correct, manage agitation without medication when possible, and maintain daily routines that anchor someone with memory loss. They watch for the changes that signal a shift in stage and communicate those changes back to family and physicians. 

Falls become more likely as dementia progresses, and families starting to think about memory care should also walk through the home with safety in mind. Our Fall Prevention for Seniors: A Room-by-Room Home Safety Checklist is a useful starting point. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Early Signs of Dementia 

What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia? Dementia is an umbrella term for a decline in memory, thinking, or reasoning that interferes with daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Other forms include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. 

At what age does dementia usually start? Most cases of Alzheimer’s appear after age 65. Prevalence rises sharply with age: about 5 percent of people aged 65 to 74, roughly 14 percent of those aged 75 to 84, and around 36 percent of those aged 85 and older. Younger-onset dementia, before age 65, affects about 200,000 Americans. 

Can early signs of dementia be reversed? Some causes of memory loss are reversible, including thyroid issues, vitamin B12 deficiency, depression, medication side effects, and infections. Alzheimer’s and most other dementias are not reversible, but newer treatments can slow progression, especially when started early. This is why getting an evaluation matters. 

Where can families turn for support after a diagnosis? The Alzheimer’s Association operates a free 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900, staffed by professionals who can answer questions, help with care decisions, and connect families with local resources. Support groups are also available across Orange County and the Coachella Valley. 

Talk to Newport Home Care 

Newport Home Care serves families across Orange County, including Newport Beach and the Palm Springs region, with specialized in-home dementia and Alzheimer’s care, as well as companion care.  The earlier the conversation begins, the more options the family has. June is the right month to start it.