Alzheimer`s Disease
It's normal to occasionally forget
assignments, colleagues' names or a business
associate's telephone number,
but generally remember them later. Those with a
dementia like Alzheimer's
disease, may forget things more often, and not
remember them later. They may
repeatedly ask the same question, not remembering
either the answer, or that
they already asked the question. Difficulty
Performing Familiar Tasks
Busy people can be distracted from time to time and
leave the carrots on the
stove, only remembering to serve them at the end of the
meal. People with
Alzheimer's disease could prepare a meal, forget to serve it,
and even forget
they made it. Problems with Language Everyone has trouble
finding the right
word sometimes, but can finish the sentence with another
appropriate word. A
person with Alzheimer's disease may forget simple words, or
substitute
inappropriate words, making their sentence
incomprehensible.
Disorientation of Time and Place It's normal to forget
the day of the week or
your destination for a moment. But people with
Alzheimer's disease can become
lost on their own street or in a familiar
shopping mall, not knowing where they
are, how they got there or how to get
home. Poor or Decreased Judgment People
can become so immersed in an activity
or telephone conversation they temporarily
forget the child they're watching.
A person with Alzheimer's disease could
entirely forget the child under their
care and leave the house to visit a
neighbor. Problems with Abstract Thinking
People who normally balance their
checkbooks may be momentarily disconcerted
when the task is more complicated
than usual, but will eventually figure out
the solution. Someone with
Alzheimer's disease could forget completely
what the numbers are and what needs
to be done with them. Misplacing Things
Anyone can misplace their wallet or
keys, but eventually find them by
reconstructing where they could have left
them. A person with Alzheimer's
disease may put things down in inappropriate
places -- an iron in the
freezer, or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl -- and not
be able to retrieve
them. Changes in Mood or Behavior Everyone has a bad day
once in a while, or
may become sad or moody from time to time. Someone with
Alzheimer's
disease can exhibit rapid mood swings for no apparent reason: e.g.
from calm
to tears to anger to calm in a few minutes. Changes in
Personality
People's personalities ordinarily change somewhat at
different ages, as
character traits strengthen or mellow. But a person with
Alzheimer's disease can
change drastically, becoming extremely irritable,
suspicious or fearful. Loss of
Initiative It's normal to tire of
housework, business activities or social
obligations, but most people regain
their initiative. The person with
Alzheimer's disease may become very
passive and require cues and prompting to
get them involved in activities.
These ten warning signs also may apply to
dementias other than Alzheimer's
disease. People concerned about these warning
signs should see a physician
for a complete examination. The "Is It
Alzheimer's? Ten Warning Signs"
campaign has been funded through an
educational grant from Parke-Davis.