Know the Facts
Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease are NOT the same condition.
Dementia is the common term for loss of memory and other intellectual abilities severe enough to interrupt the ability to perform daily tasks, such as dressing, feeding, and bathing.
Alzheimer's Disease is the most prevalent form of dementia accounting for anywhere from 60% to 80% of all dementia cases.
It is important to know that Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging and to realize that although most cases occur in adults 65 and over, some "early on-set Alzheimer's" have been discovered in adults 40-50 years old.
Although there isn’t a cure for Alzheimer’s yet, there have been great strides taken in finding treatments that slow its progression. While they may not bring the disease to a halt, with proper administration they can improve the quality of life of those with Alzheimer’s.
Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease may include:
Severe Memory Loss.
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Examples: forgetting recently learned information, important dates or events; repeatedly asking for the same information; relying on notes or other people for things they used to do on their own.
Difficulty solving problems or planning.
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Examples: unable to create and stick to a plan; unable to keep track of monthly bills; have trouble concentrating or taking extra time to complete tasks they’ve always done.
Confusion about time or place.
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Examples: lose track of the date, season or passage of time; have trouble understanding something that is not happening immediately; forgetting where they are or how they came to be there.
Trouble with visuals or spatial relationships.
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Examples: unable to read; difficulty judging distance; unable to determine color or contrast; may walk past and see self in mirror and think it is someone else in the room.
Having new difficulties in speaking or writing with words.
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Examples: difficulty with following or joining a conversation; halting in the middle of conversation with confusion at how to continue; repetition of content in conversation or difficulty in finding the correct word(phone is a talking box).
Losing things and the ability to retrace actions to find them.
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Examples: putting items in strange spots (keys in fridge); losing something and the capacity to work back to find it; accusing others of stealing items they have misplaced.
Decrease in or poor judgement.
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Examples: increasing lack of attention to grooming or bathing; spending exorbitant amounts of money on items compared to prior spending habits (a case of cookies instead of 2 boxes)
Decrease in social activity including work.
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Examples: opt out on group project at work; have trouble keeping up with favorite sports team; difficulty remembering how to complete a hobby.
Mood or personality changes.
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Examples: increasing mood shifts to confusion, suspicion, anxiety, depression or fear; easily irritated or upset when outside of comfort zone
Some questions to keep in mind when talking with your doctor:
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What treatment options are available?
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Which one would you suggest for us?
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How will we know if the treatment is effective?
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How long will it be before you can test to see if it is working?
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How do you monitor for side effects to the drugs?
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Are there any side effects that I should look for at home?
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How long before we have the next appointment?
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Are there any treatments that are more likely to interact with additional medications?
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What are the concerns with stopping one drug treatment and beginning another?
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When through the life of the disease does it become appropriate to stop treatment?
