Detecting early symptoms of Alzheimer’s in yourself or your loved one can help you get a timely diagnosis. But what exactly is Alzheimer’s? It is a progressive disease that starts with mild memory loss and progresses to changes in a person’s capacity to think, communicate, and engage in daily activities. While some early symptoms of Alzheimer’s go unnoticed, here are some of the most prevalent warning signs.
Short-term Memory Loss
Did you or a loved one remember that special day from years ago but forget what you had for breakfast? A person with Alzheimer’s may have short-term memory loss as one of the first signs. As newly learned information, such as dates or events, becomes more difficult to remember, there is a greater reliance on their close friends and family to assist them in keeping track of things.
Communication Difficulties
Those living with Alzheimer’s may have trouble describing or finding appropriate words to express themselves in a conversation. Spelling, punctuation, grammar, and even handwriting can all exacerbate over time. It can be difficult to converse with them because they do not know how to continue or repeat themselves.
Constant Mood Changes
We all experience some ups and downs from time to time. Mood or personality changes, on the other hand, are one of the signs of Alzheimer’s. While the person with Alzheimer’s may not notice the difference, it is more noticeable when someone else notices it. They may get agitated, afraid, depressed, nervous, behave inappropriately, or even become disinhibited.
Disorientation
Alzheimer’s can make it difficult for a person to keep track of who and where they are. They may have difficulty finding their way to a familiar location, be confused about where they are, or assume they have returned to a previous point in their life. Following a sequence of directives and step-by-step instructions gets more challenging as well.
Loss of Interest
Those with Alzheimer’s can have apathy which is essentially little or lack of motivation to perform tasks that they would normally find significant and worthwhile. They lose interest in their hobbies, interests, desires, and appear emotionally flat with others. A person’s apathy may worsen if they retreat, stop participating in activities, and lose confidence in their talents. People close to them may be able to assist in averting this.
Repeating Routines
Did you know that an Alzheimer’s symptom is having repetition in their routines? Those who ask questions incessantly may be expressing a specific concern, requesting assistance, or managing their irritation, fear, or uncertainty. It will test the patience of their caretakers, but it is critical to remain calm and supportive as they face these challenges.
Bringing You SHINE® Memory Care
Are you worried about a lack of personalized, high-quality care assisted living for you or a loved one? Not to worry, Discovery Village At Deerwood is one of only 36 communities nationwide to provide the special SHINE® Memory Care program, which is scientifically created for your or a loved one struggling with Alzheimer’s or other memory-related conditions. Our residents are well-cared of by our team who will assist with medical monitoring and daily living activities in a supervised environment.
