“Never too early or too late”

Many families have loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, while others may have relatives who remain undiagnosed, making it important to recognize changes early and know when to seek medical guidance.

Dr. Mimi Kokoska, chief medical officer for Medicare and Retirement for UnitedHealthcare, said families often dismiss early signs as a normal part of aging.

Occasional forgetfulness such as misplacing keys or forgetting a name before remembering it later can happen at any age, but Kokoska said families should pay closer attention when memory, behavior or thinking begins to affect daily life.