Dementia is caused by diseases that damage the brain. They affect our memory and ability to think and communicate. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, followed by vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia.
Every person’s experience of dementia is different and unique, but many people find everyday activities difficult, including:
- going to the shops
- remembering appointments
- managing bills and letters.
These are called activities of daily living.
Over time, as dementia becomes worse, a person will need more support to carry out other activities of daily living such as eating, getting dressed and washing.
As a biomedical research charity, here at Alzheimer's Research UK we fund research into the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of dementia. We do not provide information about coping with dementia symptoms or seeking support.
The information on this page will help you understand some of the problems people with dementia may face in their day-to-day life.
Not everyone with dementia will experience difficulties with all the types of daily living activities listed below and a person’s symptoms can progress at different rates.
People with mild dementia may need help with just a few tasks, while those with moderate or severe dementia usually need more support from others.
Personal care
As dementia progresses, a person is likely to need help with personal care.
This can include washing, brushing their teeth and taking care of their hair, hands and fingernails.
In later stages of dementia people may need these tasks done for them by a carer or loved one.
People with dementia can experience problems with using the toilet. Some people may find it difficult to get to the toilet in time because of problems with coordination and movement. Some people may forget where the bathroom is. A simple sign on the door to orientate them can be useful. In later stages of dementia, incontinence is common, and people may need lots of practical support to manage this.
As a person’s dementia progresses, they will need increasing support with washing and bathing. To begin with, someone may need reminding to bathe or wash their hair. Over time people living with dementia will need full support with washing and personal care routines.
A person with dementia can find getting dressed on their own difficult and they may need help with things like buttons and shoelaces. As dementia progresses it can be helpful to have support choosing what to wear and getting dressed, to make sure clothes are comfortable and are put on correctly.
Over time, people living with dementia can find it difficult to chew and swallow, to use cutlery, and their food preferences may change. It's important to keep the person as independent for as long as possible and ensure they have suitable and healthy food to choose from. In later stages of dementia people may need support from loved ones or carers to help them eat.
Following a process like making a hot drink or making a meal are complex tasks that become more challenging for someone with dementia. Providing support at mealtimes can help people remember to have all their meals and ensure they are getting enough nutrients from their food.
This video shows the challenges someone with dementia can face when making a hot drink.
Lots of people can forget to take their medication regularly, but people with dementia often find it harder to take medications every day at set times. Some find it useful to have their medication organised in a box with the time and day labelled to help them keep track. As dementia progresses, people may need someone there to support them with taking their medication.
Life management
As dementia progresses, a person may need more support with managing their life.
They may struggle with housework, looking after their home, and managing their finances.
People living with dementia may need help to look after their home. Over time, they may find it more difficult to use a vacuum cleaner or may start to clean the house and become overwhelmed and need to stop. As keeping the home clean and tidy becomes more difficult, extra support is often needed from carers or loved ones to help with these tasks.
Shopping can become more difficult for someone living with dementia. They might forget certain items they came out for, get disorientated in a shop if things have moved around, or find paying at a till takes more time. Over time as their dementia progresses, they will need extra support from others to help them get their shopping.
This video shows the challenges someone with dementia can face when navigating a supermarket.
Keeping track of appointments and social plans can be difficult for someone living with dementia as memory and thinking skills worsen over time. It can be helpful to keep a pen and notebook by the phone to write down dates and places and having reminders in a calendar on the door or having a loved one help the person keep track of their appointments in later stages of the condition.
Looking after money, paying the bills on time and keeping on top of finances can be difficult, and sometimes overwhelming for someone living with dementia. This can be challenging even in the early stages of dementia. Financial advisors can help with planning and organising finances however, many people choose to arrange a Lasting Power of Attorney to manage finances on their behalf.
A lot of everyday tasks such as banking, shopping and staying in touch with people involves using the internet, or the use of technology. People living with dementia can find it difficult to use computers, web pages and apps. As dementia progresses people may no longer be able to use certain technologies, even simple things like alarm clocks, and need support from others use them.
Communicating
Dementia can affect a person’s ability to communicate with the people around them.
This can include difficulties when talking to people both in person and over the phone.
People living with dementia can find it harder to communicate. Some people may find it difficult to remember the meaning of certain words, and others may take time to find the right word when talking. This can mean that while people may be able to go about most aspects of daily life independently, they may find it difficult to hold a conversation. In the later stages of dementia people may rarely speak, and friends and family often develop alternative ways of communicating with them that bring comfort.
People living with dementia can find it difficult to use the phone and may get phone numbers confused. Someone with dementia may begin to forget familiar phone numbers or how to use an answerphone. Simple mobile phones, call screening services and phones with larger buttons can help. Some people may feel more comfortable letting a loved one use the phone on their behalf in later stages of the condition.
Travelling
Dementia may affect a person’s ability to travel in several different ways.
For example, it can affect their ability to walk, drive, use public transport and even find their way around their local area.
To begin with, someone with dementia may not need physical support while walking, but some types of dementia can cause changes to the way a person walks or their balance early on. At first, the use of walkers or sticks may only be necessary when away from home, but over time mobility at home can also become affected. Eventually people may require lots of help to walk or to move between a bed or a chair. Some people will need to use a wheelchair.
Driving can give someone a lot of independence but because dementia affects thinking, reasoning and reactions, most people will have to stop driving. Some people may be eligible to take a medical assessment to see if they can continue to drive. When someone is diagnosed with dementia, they must let the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) know. A person living with dementia may need to rely on public transport or loved ones to get to the shops or appointments.
Using public transport like a bus or train can help people living with dementia to get around and stay independent. People may need some extra support to remember routes and timetables. As dementia progresses, people may feel more comfortable staying closer to home and travelling only when they are with someone else.
Dementia can affect a person’s ability to remember street names or follow instructions to get somewhere, such as understanding directions or using a map. This means people can get easily lost or disorientated, even in a familiar place. As dementia progresses, people may prefer to go out with a loved one or carer so that they do not feel lost or disorientated when they are away from home.
This video shows the challenges someone with dementia can face when they're out in their local area.
Entertainment
Dementia may impact a person's ability to engage in previously enjoyable leisure activities.
This might mean that they become less interested in watching films and series on television or reading books and newspapers.
As dementia affects a person’s memory and concentration, people may find it harder to follow plot lines or keep track of characters’ names when watching television. Many people with dementia still enjoy watching television but over time people may not be able to recall everything they have seen and might not be interested in the same things they used to be.
Many people living with dementia still enjoy reading but they may find it more difficult to follow lines of text or remember sections of text as their condition progresses. A person in the later stages of dementia may be unable to read or lose interest in reading but may prefer someone reading to them or listening to an audiobook.
If you have noticed any changes in either your or someone else's ability to carry out everyday tasks or think there are symptoms of dementia present, then it's best to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss this.
Dementia Research Infoline
Want to know more about current research? Keen to get involved in research projects?
Contact the Dementia Research Infoline,
9am-5pm, Monday to Friday
0300 111 5 111
This information was updated in June 2025 and is due for review in June 2027. It does not replace any advice that doctors, pharmacists or nurses may give you. Please contact us if you would like a version with references.
This information is produced with support from The Perfume Shop who had no input into the content.
