(Falling for obvious scams or giving away large sums)
The brain’s “brake pedal” stops working.
Real-life examples doctors see weekly:
Sending $10,000 to a “grandchild in trouble”
Wearing winter coat in July
Letting strangers into the house
Driving lost for hours in their own neighborhood
Financial exploitation skyrockets in the first year after diagnosis — because judgment fails first.
4. Disorientation to Time & Place
(“What year is it?” confusion)
Forgetting the day of the week is normal.
Thinking it’s 1985 when it’s 2025 is not.
Early signs:
Memory training games
Getting lost in familiar stores
Dressing for the wrong season
Missing appointments because “I thought it was next month”
3. Language & Word-Finding Problems
(Tip-of-the-tongue that never arrives)
Struggling for common words — “the thing you cut with” instead of “knife.”
Other clues:
