The connection between use of medications and Alzheimer’s or other causes of cognitive impairment has been studied extensively, but we still don’t have a clear picture. In this Youtube video I share 10 early warning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease that often catch my attention, and what to do if you’ve noticed these warning signs.My book, “ When Your Aging Parent Needs Help“, also comes with worksheets to help you check for signs of dementia, a handy checklist of what information to bring to the doctors, and more.If you’re worried that your older relative might have dementia, I recommend you learn more here: How We Diagnose Dementia: The Practical Basics to Know.But it seems that your parent often can’t remember things that happened, or otherwise seems to be more confused with thinking, make note of this.įor more on diagnosing Alzheimer’s and other dementias Daily Struggles with Memory or Thinking? It’s normal for older adults to take a little longer to remember things, since many brain functions do slow a bit with aging.Problems with Appointments and Commitments? If you’ve noticed that your parent is having more trouble keeping track of appointments and plans, make note of this.Difficulty Managing Money and Finances? Common examples include having trouble paying bills on time, struggling to balance the checkbook, or otherwise having more difficulty than one used to have managing finances.But if you notice your parent forgetting the year or month, make a note of this. Forgetting the Year or Month? Especially once one stops working, it can be easy to lose track of the date or day of the week.But if you’ve noticed anything, jot it down. This can be a tricky one to decide on, given that gadgets become more complicated every year. Difficulty Learning to Use Something New? Common examples include having trouble with a new kitchen appliance or gadget.Repeating Oneself? Has your parent started repeating questions or stories more than he used to?.
You should especially pay attention if there isn’t a physical health issue interfering with doing the activity. Reduced Interest in Leisure Activities? This means being less interested and involved in one’s usual favorite hobbies and activities.Examples include worrisome spending, or not noticing a safety issue others are concerned about. Signs of poor judgment? This means behaviors or situations that suggest bad decisions.(E.g., “No such problem noted.”) That way you’ll know you didn’t just forget to consider that behavior. If you don’t notice a problem in any of the following eight areas, make a note of this. What kinds of problems you see your parent having now.When you – or another person – first noticed problems, and what you observed.Whether this seems to be due to memory and thinking, versus physical limitations such as pain, shortness of breath or physical disabilities.Whether there’s been a decline or change compared to the way your parent used to be.8 Alzheimer’s Behaviors to Trackįor each of these behaviors, try to make note of the following: In fact, research has found that interviewing family members about the presence or absence of eight particular behaviors can be just as effective, when it comes to detecting possible Alzheimer’s, as certain office-based cognitive tests. But you’ll dramatically improve your chances of getting to the bottom of things if you come to the doctor with useful information on what you’ve observed. This advice isn’t wrong, but it’s incomplete.
What to do next? If you look online or ask people, the advice is generally this: tell the doctor. Have you been worried about an older person’s memory or thinking skills? If so, you’ve probably found yourself wondering if this could be Alzheimer’s, or another dementia.
0 kommentar(er)
