Alzheimer’s disease
is not just memory loss. People with Alzheimer’s disease
experience a decline in cognitive abilities, such as thinking
and understanding, and changes in behavior. To help you determine
if you have any of these symptoms, the Alzheimer’s Association
has developed a list of warning signs that include common symptoms
of Alzheimer’s disease (some also apply to other dementia).
If you have several of these symptoms, you should see a physician
for a complete examination.
1. Memory loss that affects job skills. It’s normal to occasionally
forget an assignment, deadline, or colleague’s name, but frequent
forgetfulness or unexplainable confusion at home or in the workplace
may signal that something’s wrong.
2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks. Busy people get distracted
from time to time. For example, you might leave something on the
stove too long or not remember to serve part of a meal. People with
Alzheimer’s might prepare a meal and not only forget to serve
it but also forget they made it.
3. Problems with language. Everyone has trouble finding the right
word sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer’s disease may forget
simple words or substitute inappropriate words, making his or her
sentences difficult to understand.
4. Disorientation to time and place. It’s normal to momentarily
forget the day of the week or what you need from the store. But
people with Alzheimer’s disease can become lost on their own
street, not knowing where they are, how they got there, or how to
get back home.
5. Poor or decreased judgment. Choosing not to bring a sweater
or coat along on a chilly night is a common mistake. A person with
Alzheimer’s, however, may dress inappropriately in more noticeable
ways, wearing a bathrobe to the store or several blouses on a hot
day.
6. Problems with abstract thinking. Balancing a checkbook can be
challenging for many people, but for someone with Alzheimer’s,
recognizing numbers or performing basic calculation may be impossible.
7. Misplacing things. Everyone temporarily misplaces a wallet or
keys from time to time. A person with Alzheimer’s disease may
put these and other items in inappropriate places — such as
an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl —
and then not recall how they got there.
8. Changes in mood or behavior. Everyone experiences a broad range
of emotions — it’s part of being human. People with Alzheimer’s
tend to exhibit more rapid mood swings for no apparent reason.
9. Changes in personality. People’s personalities may change
somewhat as they age. But a person with Alzheimer’s can change
dramatically, either suddenly or over a period of time. Someone
who is generally easygoing may become angry, suspicious, or fearful.
10. Loss of initiative. It’s normal to tire of housework,
business activities, or social obligations, but most people retain
or eventually regain their interest. The person with Alzheimer’s
disease may remain uninterested and uninvolved in many or all of
his usual pursuits.
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