NATIONAL ALZHEIMER ’ S DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH
November is National Alzheimer ’ s Awareness Month . This disease has directly affected approximately 1 in every 2 families . It currently affects more than 5 million Americans … and that number is likely to triple by 2050 . It is the sixth leading cause of death in the US , and is climbing steadily in the rankings . Also , Alzheimer ’ s is the leading cause of dementia and accounts for about 65 % of all dementia worldwide .
Alzheimer ’ s is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory , thinking and reasoning skills . There are 10 warning signs and symptoms . Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in a different degree . If you or a loved one notice any of them , please see a doctor .
1 . MEMORY LOSS THAT DISRUPTS DAILY LIFE One of the most common signs of Alzheimer ' s is memory loss , especially forgetting recently learned information . Others include forgetting important dates or events ; asking for the same information over and over ; increasingly needing to rely on memory aids ( e . g ., reminder notes or electronic devices ) or family members for things they used to handle on their own .
2 . CHALLENGES IN PLANNING OR SOLVING PROBLEMS Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers . They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills . They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before .
3 . DIFFICULTY COMPLETING FAMILIAR TASKS AT HOME , AT WORK OR AT LEISURE People with Alzheimer ' s often find it hard to complete daily tasks . Sometimes , people may have trouble driving to a familiar location , managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game .
4 . CONFUSION WITH TIME OR PLACE People with Alzheimer ' s can lose track of dates , seasons and the passage of time . They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately . Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there .
5 . TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING VISUAL IMAGES AND SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS For some people , having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer ' s . They may have difficulty reading , judging distance and determining color or contrast , which may cause problems with driving .
6 . NEW PROBLEMS WITH WORDS IN SPEAKING OR WRITING People with Alzheimer ' s may have trouble following or joining a conversation . They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves . They may struggle with vocabulary , have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name ( e . g ., calling a " watch " a " hand-clock ").
7 . MISPLACING THINGS AND LOSING THE ABILITY TO RE- TRACE STEPS A person with Alzheimer ' s disease may put things in unusual places . They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again . Sometimes , they may accuse others of stealing . This may occur more frequently over time .
8 . DECREASED OR POOR JUDGMENT People with Alzheimer ' s may experience changes in judgment or decision-making . For example , they may use poor judgment when dealing with money , giving large amounts to telemarketers . They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean .
9 . WITHDRAWAL FROM WORK OR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES A person with Alzheimer ' s may start to remove themselves from hobbies , social activities , work projects or sports . They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby . They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced .
10 . CHANGES IN MOOD AND PERSONALITY The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer ' s can change . They can become confused , suspicious , depressed , fearful or anxious . They may be easily upset at home , at work , with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone .
Signs of Alzheimer ’ s / Dementia Poor judgment and decision-making Inability to manage a budget Losing track of the date or the season Difficulty having a conversation Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them
Typical Age-Related Changes Making a bad decision once in a while Missing a monthly payment Forgetting which day it is and remembering it later Sometimes forgetting which word to use Losing things from time to time
22 | WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2016