Pay Attention to the Little Things continued
Changes are non-specific , meaning they can happen for many different reasons . One of the most common is getting older .
Pay Attention to the Little Things continued
03
Slowing down
“ I just don ’ t move as quickly as I used to .” It ’ s one of the most common observations people who are getting older make . You might find it takes longer to get ready in the morning or it takes more effort to get out of a chair or up the stairs . Some feel a little less steady on their feet . Loved ones might notice it ’ s harder for you to keep up on morning walks or weekly hikes .
Age does naturally cause slowing . That can make it especially hard to know what ’ s getting older and what might be something else . And that ’ s why it ’ s important for you to see your doctor . Many people chalk things up to age and miss the opportunity for an early and thorough evaluation .
In addition to age , conditions like arthritis , back pain and even vision changes can impact how quickly you move and how well you walk . But slowness also is one of the signs of Parkinson ’ s . In some people with PD , the first movement symptoms are very subtle : one arm not swinging as much while you walk ; shuffling your feet or having trouble turning around . In others , it might be a golf swing that ’ s somewhat “ off ” or fingers that don ’ t type or text as easily as they used to .
If you ’ re a little slower or your golf game feels off , you needn ’ t automatically assume you have Parkinson ’ s . But you also don ’ t want to brush it off , either . Your best bet is to meet with your doctor , who can examine your movements , watch you walk , and help you determine next steps , which may include visiting a neurologist .
04
Depression
Feeling sad is a normal part of life . But when it lasts a long time and affects your daily life , it could be depression . Changes in brain chemicals play a role in depression . So do genetics and stressful life events . Depression also can be more common in older age , which could be because of changes in activity , health and other factors .
Depression is a medical condition , just like heart disease or diabetes . It ’ s treatable with medication , talk therapy ( counseling ) and other therapies . Connecting with others and exercising regularly also can help .
Depression can happen on its own or it can be part of other diseases . It can even be one of the earliest symptoms of Parkinson ’ s . After a PD diagnosis , some people comment that they ’ ve had depression for many years or much of their life . This does not mean that having depression always leads to Parkinson ’ s . But it does mean that it ’ s important to treat depression and to take steps to keep your brain as healthy as possible .
These changes are non-specific , meaning they can happen for many different reasons . One of the most common is getting older . But , as with any change , you don ’ t want to immediately attribute it only to age . Age very well may be the cause . But the only way to know for sure is to meet with your doctor . Ask them directly , “ Is this age or might it be something else ?” And work together to get to the bottom of it . Any of these changes , whether they are from age or something else , can impact your life . But there are ways to ease each of them and steps you can take to continue living as well as possible .
Changes are non-specific , meaning they can happen for many different reasons . One of the most common is getting older .
For more on Parkinson ’ s , see pages 10 and 48 .
Better Brain Health | Section 01 — Caring for Your Brain at Any Age 21