| How do you know if that forgetfulness you've | | | | losing the car keys, but more like putting |
| had is an early sign of Alzheimer's disease, | | | | things in unusual places such as the |
| or just normal aging? | | | | ice-cream in the oven, or clothes in the |
| | | | dishwasher. |
| You may forget the occasional name or | | | | |
| sometimes have trouble thinking of the right | | | | Disorientation: A person with Alzheimer's |
| word to use. Maybe you walk into another room | | | | disease can get lost in their own street or |
| and wonder what you were looking for. Is it | | | | stay sitting at the bus station because they |
| Alzheimer's, aging, or just plain being | | | | can't remember where they were going. They |
| distracted, doing one thing while you're | | | | may not remember how to get home. |
| thinking of another? | | | | |
| | | | Impaired Judgement: Wearing a thick jacket on |
| There are signs to look out for, signs that | | | | a blazing hot day or a swimsuit in the middle |
| tell you it's time to get to the specialist | | | | of winter could be a sign of dementia. Having |
| and get checked out. Treatments for | | | | poor judgement with money can be a symptom |
| Alzheimer's disease work best in the early | | | | too, such as spending big amounts of money |
| stages so it's vitally important to get an | | | | with telemarketers or buying products that |
| early diagnosis. An early diagnosis and early | | | | aren't needed. |
| treatment can give you more years of normal | | | | |
| functioning, and save you and your family | | | | Trouble with Complex Tasks: Having trouble |
| tens or even hundreds of thousands of | | | | with tasks that require abstract thinking |
| dollars. | | | | like balancing a check book or playing a |
| | | | favourite game can be difficult for the |
| The Warning Signs | | | | Alzheimer's sufferer. |
| | | | |
| Memory Loss: We all forget things like | | | | Mood Swings, and Personality Changes: Mood |
| appointments, names, and phone numbers | | | | changes for no apparent reason can be another |
| occasionally, and that's normal. Forgetting | | | | symptom. The sufferer could be happy and |
| freshly learned information more often can be | | | | cheerful one minute, and then suddenly become |
| a warning sign though. | | | | extremely angry over something that is quite |
| | | | trivial, or that they have imagined. They can |
| Communication Problems: Having trouble | | | | become clingy with a family member, or |
| finding the right word is not unusual, but | | | | suspicious of the neighbours. |
| the Alzheimer's sufferer often forgets simple | | | | |
| words and may use unusual words or strange | | | | Loss of Initiative: We can all get tired of |
| descriptions. A camera may become "that box | | | | housework or our business activities |
| that makes pictures". | | | | sometimes. But someone suffering from |
| | | | Alzheimer's disease can become quite passive, |
| Problems with everyday tasks: A person with | | | | watching television for hours, not wanting to |
| Alzheimer's disease can start having trouble | | | | do their normal activities, or spending more |
| doing jobs or hobbies that they've had many | | | | time sleeping. |
| years of experience with. For example, they | | | | |
| may be halfway through their favourite recipe | | | | Many more people are worried that they may |
| and forget how to finish it though they've | | | | have Alzheimer's disease than actually get |
| done it many times before. | | | | the disease. However, if you are suffering |
| | | | from these symptoms, see a specialist. |
| Misplacing Things: This isn't the normal | | | | |