What is Dementia?
Today, Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, affects close to six million people in the U.S. and Canada. Despite its prevalence, Alzheimer’s and related dementias are not a normal part of aging. Alzheimer’s causes irreversible changes to the brain that result in problems communicating, thinking, and taking care of basic needs. Symptoms vary as the disease affects each person differently, but individuals with Alzheimer’s inevitably advance through increasingly debilitating stages, requiring progressively more intense levels of care.
Alzheimer’s disease or dementia is the diagnosis that can strike dread in the hearts of most family caregivers. Characterized by memory loss and a cognitive decline that interferes with daily life, dementia progressively weakens a person’s thought processing ability, ultimately causing drastic changes in mood, behavior and memory. If you’re living it now, you know all too well. If you’ve just received the prognosis for your loved one, you’re likely scared and confused.
Knowing some of Alzheimer’s warning signs can help you identify when changes taking place in your loved one go beyond typical age-related changes and may signify the effects of brain disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, occasionally misplacing items, temporarily getting confused, or forgetting someone’s name but remembering it later are all typical age-related changes. Signs that point to Alzheimer’s may be similar but more severe, including:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
- Changes in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Decreased or poor judgment
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
- Changes in mood and personality
If you observe one or more of these 10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s in your loved one, please talk to a medical professional.
You are not alone!
Primary Care of Central Florida providers are trained to work closely with the family and have open communication, which results in quality care for the senior. We have a passion and desire to work with Alzheimer’s or dementia clients. You can rest assured your loved one is with a trusted, well-qualified professional. If you’d like more information about our Alzheimer’s services, please contact us.
Find more valuable Alzheimer’s and Senior Care articles, web site links and resources in our Senior Care Resources section of this website.
