Recognizing The Early Signs Of Alzheimer’s
For many individuals with loved ones who have reached their golden years, staying vigilant for the signs of Alzheimer’s can help ensure they remain safe and well cared for.
However, differentiating the early signs of the disease with the cognitive impairment that normally accompanies aging can be difficult.
Many people easily mistake dementia with Alzheimer’s disease, even though dementia can be caused by factors other than Alzheimer’s, because the two conditions share many common traits, such as loss of memory, diminished reasoning skills, and difficulty clearly thinking.
While some diminished cognitive ability can be attributed to aging, memory problems that interfere with how people live their daily lives are not.
The common signs of Alzheimer’s disease can include:
Memory Loss
Even though most seniors experience some minor memory impairment, individuals with Alzheimer’s can forget recent experiences, important dates, or significant events that can negatively impact their daily lives.
While many people, not just seniors, can forget a few details about a recent conversation or event, individuals with dementia such as Alzheimer’s can forget the conversation even ever took place.
Repetition
Individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s may repeat the same story, statement, or question several times throughout the day. Occasionally they may repeat the story word for word.
Language Problems
Everyone struggles to find the right word or turn of phrase from time to time, however, individuals with Alzheimer’s can experience significant problems remembering basic words and expressions.
Someone with Alzheimer’s may also have their way of talking become confusing and difficult to follow.
Personality Change
Individuals with Alzheimer’s can experience sudden and severe mood swings. During these swings, Alzheimer’s patient can become easily upset or agitated for no reason or sullen and withdrawn from normal activities.
They may also become suspicious of family members, while feeling completely comfortable with strangers.
Confusion and Disorientation
Alzheimer’s can cause people to become lost in places they are usually very familiar with, such as their neighborhood or local shopping center.
They may also experience trouble completing basic and familiar tasks, such as mailing letters or vacuuming the home.
Poor Hygiene
One of the most obvious signs of the disease is a diminishment of an individual’s appearance.
People who used to take pride in their appearance may now frequently appear wearing stained or dirty clothing. They might also have stopped bathing, wearing deodorant, or shaving.
Strange Behavior
Individuals with Alzheimer’s may become convinced that a loved one is hiding something from them when they cannot find what they’re looking for.
They might start placing objects around the house in strange and impractical places, such as the T.V. remote in the fridge or a box of cereal in the bathroom.
If you have a loved one who is experiencing these symptoms, you should consider having them tested for Alzheimer’s disease.
Major breakthroughs have been made in the last two years with testing that allows for the early detection of the disease, including a blood test and, most recently, a questionnaire that can be self-administered.
