Overview

• Financial mismanagement—such as unpaid bills, unexpected purchases and hidden debts—can emerge years before memory loss, experts say
• Spatial confusion, including getting lost in familiar places and difficulty parking straight, is identified as one of the earliest dementia indicators
• Difficulty with everyday tasks like handling shopping, sorting small change or organising complex errands may signal stealth-phase cognitive decline
• Zest scientists recommend three simple desk-based drills—opposite thumb ladders, 1-4 finger alternation and opposite circles—to combine mental challenge with movement
• Physicians advise that noticing subtle declines in financial control, spatial awareness or task execution should prompt early medical review for timely intervention