More and more families across the country are being affected by the growing Alzheimer’s epidemic. As family members take on the role of caregiver, knowing more about the disease and its warning signs can help family members and caregivers know when they are dealing with normal memory loss and when it might be something more serious. Alzheimer’s disease typically begins after 60, and the risk increases with age. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are ten warning signs for Alzheimer’s:
1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life – forgetting recently learned information or important dates
2. Trouble in planning or solving problems – difficulty following familiar instructions, recipes, how to pay monthly bills, etc.
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks – trouble driving to or navigating to familiar places
4. Time and place confusion – losing track of days or seasons
5. Trouble understanding visual images or spatial relationships – difficulty judging distance or determining colors
6. New problems with speaking or writing – repetitive speech, trouble following conversations
7. Misplacing things, inability to retrace steps – putting things in unusual places, may accuse others of stealing
8. Decreased or poor judgment – problems dealing with money, paying less attention to grooming
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities – shying away from social functions or tasks
10. Changes in mood or personality – easily upset, confused, suspicious, fearful, etc.
Source: Assisting Hands Home Care in association with IlluminAge. © IlluminAge 2012
