Financial problems signs of dementia?

Problems with the money can point to dementia

10/01/2012

Difficulties in dealing with money may be the first signs of emerging dementia. Frequently, dementia patients have considerable financial difficulties in the early stages of neurodegenerative disease, for example, pay twice their bills, maintain their checkbook or lose the overall overview of their finances, reports the journal „Psychology today“ in her current issue.

Double paid bills and chaotic checkbooks evidence of dementia
The financial problems are often signs of dementia, said neurosurgeon Daniel Mason of the Alzheimer Disease Research Center of the University of Alabama „Psychology today“. According to the expert, various psychological studies show that money problems can be one of the earliest signs of dementia. According to this, seniors who develop typical symptoms of Alzheimer's or dementia disease later in life often have difficulty keeping track of their finances at an early age. Even the simplest activities, such as counting the money correctly, understanding the account statement or filling out a bank transfer, sometimes cause considerable difficulties for those affected, writes the journal „Psychology today“ citing a study by US researchers at the Alzheimer Disease Research Center.

People with financial problems were more likely to have Alzheimer's disease
The American researchers led by neuropsychologist Daniel Mason found in a study of 87 patients with memory problems and 76 healthy seniors that the memory problems were often associated with financial difficulties. In addition, study participants who had problems handling money developed significantly more frequently within one year of Alzheimer's disease, the US researchers said. For example, 25 patients who performed significantly worse on the financial test suffered Alzheimer's disease within one year. As typical difficulties of the future Alzheimer's patients here are double-paid bills and a loss of overview in the checkbook to call. Both could therefore be considered as a possible sign of dementia.

Corresponding problems with family members' money should therefore always be considered an alarm signal. Doubled bills or jumbled checkbook entries are a reason for more in-depth medical examinations, said study leader Daniel Mason. In order to protect those affected from further financial losses, the relatives would have to react early because the dementia patients themselves are not aware of their declining abilities, so the conclusion of the US scientist. (Fp)

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Picture credits: Gerd Altmann