Noticing cover-ups

Worry sign #4: You notice friends or family starting to cover for you.

"Don't worry, Hon, I'll order for you." "Oh no, I've got it" (at the cashier). "Oh, anybody could get lost on these twisty roads, dear. Want me to drive now?"

When you increasingly hear these kinds of "smoothing over" or "taking over" statements from family or friends, they can be a sign that others are seeing problems they're not willing to address directly.

Covering up is a sign that they've lost confidence in your capacity to do things, University of Wisconsin's Ken Robbins says. Difficulty managing money, for example, is a common early sign of dementia because it involves keeping track of details and making judgments. Other areas where relatives may rush in to cover: driving, cooking, and giving directions.