Normal aging brings small, occasional lapses, like forgetting a name and remembering it later. Early dementia brings changes that disrupt daily life: repeating the same question within an hour, getting lost on a familiar drive, or no longer being able to follow a recipe your mom has made for 40 years. If you’re noticing changes in a parent in La Jolla, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, La Mesa, or elsewhere in San Diego County, the list below will help you sort what’s typical from what’s worth a doctor’s visit.
Golden Care is a licensed, non-medical in-home care agency, so we can’t diagnose anything; only your parent’s doctor can. We can help you see the patterns and plan what comes next.
What’s the difference between dementia and normal aging?
The core difference is impact: normal aging slows things down, while dementia gets in the way of everyday life.
Taking longer to recall a word, or walking into the kitchen and forgetting why, is usually typical. No longer managing a checkbook balanced for decades, or not recognizing your own street, may be something more.
Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and daily function. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type, but it isn’t the only one. According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2026 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, an estimated 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s dementia.
Look for patterns over weeks and months, not one bad afternoon.
What are the 10 early warning signs of dementia?
Here are the Alzheimer’s Association’s 10 warning signs, each with a normal-aging contrast and a real-life example.
1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life
Families usually notice this first: forgetting recently learned information, asking the same questions repeatedly, or relying on notes and family for things your parent used to handle alone.
Normal aging: Forgetting a name or appointment, then remembering it later.
- Mom calls three times in one morning to ask what time you’re picking her up.
- Dad has no memory of a conversation you had yesterday about his upcoming trip.
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
Some people have new trouble following a plan or working with numbers. Tasks that take concentration take much longer, or stop getting done.
Normal aging: Making an occasional error when balancing a checkbook.
- Bills pile up unopened on the counter.
- A favorite holiday recipe suddenly feels impossible to follow.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks
Routines your parent has done for years start to break down, in driving, cooking, or a favorite game.
Normal aging: Needing help now and then with a new TV remote or phone setting.
- Dad forgets the rules to the card game he’s played every week for 20 years.
- Mom gets turned around driving to her longtime hair salon in La Mesa.
4. Confusion with time or place
People with dementia can lose track of dates, seasons, and the passage of time. They may forget where they are or how they got there.
Normal aging: Getting confused about the day of the week, then figuring it out.
- Mom asks where her own mother is at 5 p.m.
- Dad insists it’s summer during a cool November week.
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
For some people, vision changes are an early sign: trouble with balance, judging distance, or telling colors apart.
Normal aging: Vision changes related to cataracts or other eye conditions.
- Your parent misjudges the curb and stumbles more often.
- Pouring a glass of water, they miss the glass.
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
Your parent may stop mid-sentence with no idea how to continue, repeat themselves, or call familiar things by the wrong name.
Normal aging: Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.
- Dad calls his watch “the hand clock.”
- Mom loses the thread of a story halfway through and can’t pick it back up.
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
Everyone loses their glasses. The warning sign is putting things in unusual places and being unable to retrace steps to find them. Some people accuse others of taking items.
Normal aging: Misplacing things now and then and retracing steps to find them.
- Dad put the car keys in the freezer.
- Mom says the housekeeper stole her purse, which turns up in the linen closet.
8. Decreased or poor judgment
Changes in judgment often show up with money, hygiene, or safety.
Normal aging: Making a bad decision once in a while, like forgetting an oil change.
- Your parent gives large sums to phone solicitors.
- Dad wears a heavy wool coat on a warm Del Mar afternoon and skips showers for days.
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
Your parent may pull back from hobbies, clubs, or gatherings, often because conversation has become harder to follow.
Normal aging: Sometimes feeling tired of family, work, or social obligations.
- Mom stops going to her weekly book club in La Jolla.
- Dad no longer follows the Padres, a team he’s watched his whole life.
10. Changes in mood and personality
People can become confused, suspicious, anxious, or fearful. They may get upset easily at home, with friends, or in unfamiliar places.
Normal aging: Developing specific routines and becoming irritable when one is disrupted.
- A usually easygoing dad snaps when plans change.
- Mom becomes fearful about leaving the house.
What should you do if you notice these signs?
Start by writing down what you’re seeing, then schedule a visit with your parent’s doctor.
Memory changes can have several causes, and only a doctor can sort out which one applies. Before the visit, keep a simple log:
- The date and what happened
- How often it’s happening
- Whether it’s affecting safety, money, driving, or daily routines
- Any recent changes in medications, sleep, or mood
If you can, go with your parent. A short written summary handed over at check-in helps if your parent downplays things during the visit.
How do you bring up memory concerns with a parent?
Lead with care and a specific, low-stakes reason for a checkup, not a list of mistakes.
Pick a calm time, usually morning. Talk one-on-one, not as a group. Keep it about health and staying independent, which your parent likely wants too.
Here’s a script you can adapt:
“Mom, I love how much you do on your own, and I want to help you keep it that way. You mentioned feeling foggy lately. Would you come with me to see your doctor? If something simple is behind it, I’d want us to know.”
If your parent doesn’t see a problem, don’t argue. The Alzheimer’s Association describes a symptom called anosognosia, which prevents a person from recognizing their own impairment. It’s not denial. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends empathy, avoiding arguments, and redirecting. Try again another day, or frame it as a routine annual checkup.
Porsha Vogt, owner of Golden Care, often tells families that the first conversation rarely settles everything. Keeping the door open matters more than winning the point.
If your parent resists help later, our post on what to do if your parent refuses a caregiver walks through that conversation.
When does day-to-day support help?
Day-to-day support helps when the changes you’re seeing start affecting safety, routine, or your own ability to keep up.
Support can start small: a few hours a week of companion care so your dad has someone to cook with and take on a walk along the Carmel Valley trails, or a caregiver who helps with meals, reminders, and errands.
Signs it may be time to bring in help:
- You’re checking in by phone several times a day and still worried.
- Meals, bills, or medications are being missed.
- Your parent is lonely or withdrawn and spends most days alone.
- You’re exhausted, and your own work or family is suffering.
As needs grow, in-home memory care adds structure, consistent routines, and a familiar face. Golden Care’s care planning involves a registered nurse and a social worker, and our care manager is a Certified Dementia Practitioner. Schedules range from a few hours a week to daily, overnight, or 24-hour care, and plans change as needs change. Not every family needs full-time help.
For a broader look at timing, read how to know when your parent needs home care.
For medical questions, call your parent’s doctor. In an emergency, call 911. For guidance any time of day or night, the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline is 800-272-3900. Locally, Alzheimer’s San Diego offers support groups, education, and memory screenings at 858-492-4400; contact them about costs and eligibility.
What’s the next step with Golden Care?
The next step is a free private consultation, a confidential conversation about what you’re seeing, your parent’s routines, safety, and preferences.
Families in La Jolla, Carmel Valley, and La Mesa can connect with our San Diego office, and families in Del Mar can reach our North County office. Both offices share one number: (760) 828-5201.
Get the free guide
Our free family guide puts the signs, the conversations, and the support options in one place.
Dementia Care at Home: A San Diego County Family Guide to Safety, Routine, and the Right Support
- Early warning signs worth a doctor’s visit
- What changes to expect as dementia progresses
- Talking with your parent and getting your family on the same page
- When to bring in help, and what in-home memory care looks like
- San Diego County resources for dementia caregivers
Download Dementia Care at Home
Noticing changes in your mom or dad? Talk it through with Golden Care.
Call: (760) 828-5201
Schedule a free private consultation: getgoldencare.com/get-started
Golden Care provides non-medical in-home care for families in La Mesa, San Diego, La Jolla, Point Loma, Coronado, Santee, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, Carmel Valley, Santaluz, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch, 4S Ranch, Fallbrook, and communities throughout San Diego County. License HCO #37-4700093.
