![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Short-term-memory.jpg\")
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Those who are familiar with Alzheimer\u2019s disease (AD) know how draining and disturbing it could be. While Alzheimer\u2019s usually affects the elderly, it can change the lives of the patient\u2019s family members and anyone who\u2019s close to them.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re on the alert for Alzheimer\u2019s, you may think that every quirk or forgotten thing could be one of the telltale signals. It\u2019s not that simple, though. Alzheimer\u2019s has not one, but many symptoms. These would grow stronger as the disease progresses.<\/p>\n
Simple forgetfulness could arise from a deficiency of Vitamin B12, kidney issues, liver disorders, or even hormonal imbalances. When memory loss is paired with certain other symptoms, though, you may have a case of Alzheimer\u2019s on your hands.<\/p>\n
As with most illnesses and diseases, early diagnosis is optimal. If you want to help your elders or educate yourself about this problem, be alert for Alzheimer\u2019s symptoms like the ones below:<\/p>\n
When an old person starts to forget things and get confused, too many people may find it natural. While everyone forgets things from time to time, too much of it is always alarming.<\/p>\n
The serious kind of memory issue is related to recent events and conversations. This is not something as simple as not remembering what you had for dinner last week on Monday. The Alzheimer’s<\/a> level of confusion involves forgetting what just occurred right in front of your eyes, or a conversation you just had.<\/p>\n As a result, the patient would likely ask questions repeatedly. Further on, they might even take to asking if they had performed a certain everyday activity, such as having breakfast. Losing a memory one day doesn\u2019t mean that it stays lost. Patients with Alzheimer’s may not recognize their own child one minute but manage to remember after a while. Those who have started developing Alzheimer’s may be seen constantly moving around, pacing, getting angry very easily, and obsessed with certain minor details. This last obsession would make them very sensitive to the smallest kind of change. They could get paranoid and even accusatory when they find or perceive some shift.<\/p>\n This sort of agitation and anxiety<\/a> is probably linked to fear, tiredness, and the burden of dealing with the confusion these patients go through. They\u2019re simply not feeling like their old self\u2014no wonder it\u2019s taking a toll on their mental well-being!<\/p>\n Early-onset dementia and Alzheimer’s in middle-aged folks are becoming frighteningly more common. So if you\u2019re constantly feeling anxious, agitated, or frustrated without a solid reason, you may have some cause to worry. Be sure to check your family history for any signs of Alzheimer’s and try to get a proper diagnosis as soon as possible. When Alzheimer’s starts developing in an elderly person\u2019s brain, they may start deteriorating back into a child-like state. We\u2019ve seen that babies and toddlers go from calm and peaceful to a full-blown tantrum within seconds. The same thing could very well happen to our grandparents, our parents, or even us.<\/p>\n Of course, everyone has mood swings where they rotate between certain feelings. However, the mood swings<\/a> in Alzheimer’s also have their roots in the heightened anxiety level of the individual. As mentioned above, Alzheimer’s patients don\u2019t really react well to change. This is another child-like element that they have to live with.<\/p>\n The mood changes could hence be a certain change in their routine due to their illnesses or weakness. For instance, they could lash out and change their whole personality if moved to a nursing home. The same thing could happen if a new nurse is appointed to them. The grandparent or elderly parent is usually seen as a never-ending supply of wisdom<\/a>. They\u2019re the ones who\u2019ve taught us much of what we know; helped us with our homework; and helped us through the most difficult stages of our lives.<\/p>\n However, we may notice these beacons of wisdom making some flat-out strange decisions. What\u2019s more; the decisions would be glaringly bad ones but still be held on to by an Alzheimer’s patient.<\/p>\n These choices could be major or minor, but either could pose some serious danger to the patient themselves. For example, they may go out in the rain without an umbrella and walk a long way before realizing how wet they are. Right in the very first phase of Alzheimer’s, you can pinpoint certain negative decisions made which have to do with money. One of the initial attacks of Alzheimer’s is on the abstract thinking department in the brain. With this affected, calculating numbers and balancing sheets could be highly challenging even for an accounting expert.<\/p>\n Again, if you notice this phenomenon occurring in someone you care for, take the necessary precautions. You don\u2019t want them to lose out on their tax return because they\u2019re bad with numbers. Help them out or refer them to an expert if they refuse to pay taxes or a certain bill.<\/p>\n Someone else should also take the responsibility of the utility bills in such cases. After several cycles of missing payments, the respective companies would shut off the gas, water, and electricity<\/a>. This is certainly not what we want for an already confused, elderly individual. Many of us perform the same tasks every single day, especially when it comes to our morning or bedtime routines. During such times, our bodies are functioning almost on autopilot. It may hence seem impossible to lose control of such a routine, but that\u2019s exactly what happens with AD. The person who always brushed his teeth exactly 25 times may forget to do it unless reminded. They may also take longer to get dressed, make a simple meal, or perform any other activity which one came so naturally to them.<\/p>\n If you see this warning sign, AD may already have attacked. A once-expert cook may not even remember how to make a simple cup of tea<\/a>. Needless to say, this is not the time to trust them with the stove. The same goes for handling a budget, playing a contact sport, or driving. In the middle phases of AD and dementia<\/a>, people living with such patients would notice the lack of concentration in the latter. A lot of our lives are dependent upon us creating a plan and sticking to it. This could include writing a grocery list, being able to follow it, paying the monthly utility bills, or even noting the instructions in a recipe or manual.<\/p>\n Note, however, that this issue in AD wouldn\u2019t just be making a mistake while balancing your budget. Nor would it be as simple as overlooking one item on a huge grocery\/to-do list. The issues would be actively forgetting how to do these things at all. This could cause some major financial and emotional risks. You would have to notice these subtle differences yourself since many AD patients try to hide their fading capabilities. This could be quite an issue, especially if they live alone. Everyone loses their car keys sometimes. The same goes for our phones, various remotes, and other things that aren\u2019t bulky or nailed to the ground. It\u2019s usually not an issue as long as the missing items turn up in an unexpected but fairly logical place. For instance, a simply forgetful<\/a> person may lose their keys, but they\u2019d also be able to think about where they might be. The search would be a logical and linear one.<\/p>\n Missing and misplacing everyday important items becomes truly alarming when they start turning up in weird places. Keys could turn up in freezers, ashtrays, and even flower pots. The lost items would become increasingly more difficult to find since the AD patient is unable to retrace their steps. Their anxiety would also tend to kick in at this point, accusing innocent family members or medical staff of stealing or deliberately moving their property. An elderly person should normally have no issue in going off on their daily walks<\/a>, errands, and other necessities of life. However, AD patients would usually be turning right back, getting lost on the way, or even losing sight of the goal they had in mind. They may also forget the date, the season, and how much time has passed in a certain activity.<\/p>\n This is similar to the vision-spatial sense that we\u2019re usually born with. We know that five minutes is a certain period of time, even if we\u2019re not watching the clock every second. AD patients aren\u2019t able to manage even this skill. They may hence forget that they’ve been wandering the streets for hours, even when everyone\u2019 panicking at home. In other cases, they may tell their child or grandchild that they haven\u2019t met in three years even if they live together. It\u2019s no surprise that both AD patients and their caretakers are subject to bouts of frustration<\/a>. This is due to the fact that AD lowers the ability to communicate properly. They may lose hold on the very language that once came so naturally, even to the extent of being unable to continue an ongoing conversation. The vocabulary is usually the first thing to go. Without realizing it, AD patients would say \u2018chicken\u2019 instead of \u2018kitchen\u2019, or even something unrelated like calling the car a television.<\/p>\n They may also come up with completely new names for everyday items. This is similar to the way young children behave when they’re just starting to talk. As a result of this decrease in ineffective communication, an AD patient may withdraw into silence or tantrums. They may also leave off speaking a learned language and revert to their native tongue. <\/p>\n When you have a patient of AD on your hands, it\u2019s also very common for them to sneak off without warning. They may then get lost or confused and put themselves in danger. This occurs right from the onset of the diseases and is linked to the confusion they experience when they can’t recognize once-familiar routes.<\/p>\n Obviously, this phenomenon is quite a dangerous one. It is also unfortunately found in more than half of AD patients. You don\u2019t want to confine or limit your elders, but you may have to do so in order to keep them safe. They may wander out into the road and get confused right in the middle of crossing it. Forgetting certain details and answers could make patients of AD repeat questions and statements over and over again. However, the repetition could also be just of certain phrases or their own retelling of a story every few hours. They would not be able to recognize the person sitting in front of them, and so would take refuge in simply repeating what they know.<\/p>\n This sort of repetition is a huge sign in both AD and dementia. It may not just be linked to forgetting, but also the fear and confusion that comes when memories slip away. The AD patient may also be bored or even anxious<\/a> and is repeating in an effort to have some control over their environment. One of our basic everyday skills is to gauge the visual and spatial factors of our surroundings. For instance, we need a good sense of estimation when judging some distances, color combinations, and even reading. AD patients cannot form such judgments and get progressively worse at this as time goes by.<\/p>\n Losing this kind of perception is linked to the loss of vision itself. Elderly folks are more like to have cataracts, loss of clear visions, etc. This is why they may no longer be able to eyeball recipes or even figure out that they\u2019re seeing themselves in a mirror.<\/p>\n Other visual and spatial features include the ability to recognize food on the plate. If Alzheimer’s patients aren\u2019t able to tell the two things apart, they may not eat anything or forget about eating in the middle of a meal. This could lead to possible malnutrition<\/a>. AD patients can usually feel their environment sliding out of their grasp. This is why they can also be seen performing some seemingly purposeless activities. These would probably be repetitive in nature, like the incessant opening of a drawer or cupboard.<\/p>\n Other habits may include packing their clothes somewhere and then unpacking them or repeating the same old questions again. These questions could be linked to their habits<\/a> or routine from earlier in their life. The usual reason behind such actions is that the AD patient needs to feel somewhat busy and even productive.<\/p>\n They\u2019re usually not given much responsibility by this stage; performing trite actions may seem useless to others but may be their only way of feeling needed. Such cases could be found especially in AD patients who were very active in their youth. A housewife, for instance, might keep cleaning the same cupboard repeatedly. As mentioned in the communication factor above, AD patients can get so frustrated and unconfident that they get isolated from other human beings. With their memories slipping away, they\u2019d find themselves unable to recognize someone who claims that they were their best friend, sister, or child. This may cause them some embarrassment, leading to their preference for isolation<\/a> instead.<\/p>\n AD patients would also tend to shrink their social circle because they forget about the pastimes that created them in the first place. For instance, a grandmother that attended a knitting circle every week may forget how to knit entirely. She may hence not attend the circle anymore and lose the point of contact she had with her friends. Losing memories of games, hobbies, and activities could be quite disturbing for AD patients. They may hence lose the motivation to enjoy life the way they once did. This sort of withdrawal is more than just isolation; they\u2019re simply not willing to do anything that might better their situation. The early or middle stages of AD usually show this symptom first.<\/p>\n This sort of apathy could even lead to depression<\/a> in addition to everything else. Before your loved one joins the 40% of AD patients that are depressed, try to get professional assistance as much as possible. Otherwise, the problem would only worsen.<\/p>\n At this point, it is also necessary to take preventive measures for the people looking after the AD patient. It\u2019s not easy to live with a depression patient; the combined burden could take a mental toll on an otherwise healthy person as well. <\/p>\n Those who suffer from dementia or AD could get confused about whether they\u2019ve eaten or not. We\u2019ve mentioned that they may forget they\u2019ve eaten a meal. They could also skip meals altogether, which is quite dangerous for the already weakened bodies. Alternatively, they may start eating several meals a day and forget all about them.<\/p>\n There are also instances where an AD patient could start eating something and forget the time they\u2019ve spent in doing so. For instance, they may keep taking sugar<\/a> out of the pot and eating it without thinking. Someone else would have to remove the pot in order to avoid dangerous overconsumption.<\/p>\n Other problematic food issues could be not gauging whether a certain dish is too hot to eat or not. They may also develop new culinary likes and dislikes without warning. Something that they loved eating in the past could be positively distasteful now. The mental state of AD patients is understandable by now, but their physical senses are not left unaffected. AD patients may have trouble with simple tasks such as undoing a button, use silverware, or even keeping their hands steady for long enough.<\/p>\n At the beginning of AD, patients may lose the ability to drive or operate machinery. The skill that they learned later on in life would probably be the first to do. As they reach the later stages, their skills would not even be able to encompass everyday functioning.<\/p>\n If you notice any trembling of the hands of a sort of numbness<\/a>, you may want to be even more alert. These could be symptoms of Parkinson\u2019s as well as AD. It may be a good idea to note these down and discuss them with a doctor at the first opportunity. Dressing involves a lot of motor skills<\/a> that we take for granted, but AD patients may physically not be able to put their own clothes on or take them off. They may also simply not be able to choose an outfit for a long, long time if given too much of a choice. It\u2019s not just that their hands tremble; they, unfortunately, don\u2019t remember how buckles, buttons, or belts work.<\/p>\n AD patients may also wear the same outfit day after day. Even if they do manage to change successfully, their choice could be less than optimal. Pairing a dress with pants or wearing mismatched socks is to be expected, as are strange accessories.<\/p>\n As a result, you may have to pick out an AD\u2019s patient\u2019s outfit every single day. This would avoid a lot of unnecessary embarrassment for them and also prevent exposure to the elements. With the agitation, anxiety, and confusion, basic things such as personal hygiene usually take a back seat with AD patients. If not reminded, early-stage Alzheimer’s may have patients forgetting to bathe, shower, brush their teeth<\/a>, get a change of clothes, or even go to the bathroom.<\/p>\n As the problem progresses, some patients may even become averse to the idea of a shower or bath. Their minds may not even grasp why such things are needed. They could hence put up a fight when their attendants or family members try to clean them, clip their nails, or even make their hair tidy.<\/p>\n This is a disturbing sign, to say the least. In all cases of AD, however, we must remember that they need love and care above all in this difficult stage of life. Being there for them is only right since they\u2019re increasingly dependent on others. ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/mode-swing_2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n2. Anxiety and Agitation<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Mood-Swing.jpg\")
<\/p>\n3. Mood Swings<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Weight-Changes.jpg\")
<\/p>\n4. Poor Judgment<\/h3>\n
\nIf the person in front of you is exhibiting such symptoms, it\u2019s definitely time to get professional help. Even if they’re safe enough at home, they should be kept secure.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Funding.jpg\")
<\/p>\n5. Financial Trouble<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Change-in-behavior.jpg\")
<\/p>\n6. Trouble With the Ordinary<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/Difficulty-with-writing.jpg\")
<\/p>\n7. Problems in Planning<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Extreme-Goal-Directed-Activity.jpg\")
<\/p>\n8. Losing Things Frequently<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Memory-Loss_Perimenopause.jpg\")
<\/p>\n9. Confusing Time and Place<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Hair-Loss.jpg\")
<\/p>\n10. Not Getting Through<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Getting-Lost.jpg\")
\n11. Wandering Off<\/h3>\n
\nIn fact, AD patients have also been known to set out in the darkness of the night when everyone else is sleeping<\/a>. It may be necessary to employ a live-in nurse or install new locks. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/slow-movement.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n12. Repeating<\/h3>\n
\nThe repeating habit may also be because of an unfamiliar environment. They would keep on asking the same questions and noticing the same things in order to try and get something fixed in their memory. ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Vision-Problems.jpg\")
<\/p>\n13. Visual-Spatial Dissonance<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Neurologic-Issues.jpg\")
<\/p>\n14. Activities Without Purpose<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Isolation.jpg\")
<\/p>\n15. Isolation<\/h3>\n
\nThis sort of isolation is certainly not good for AD patients. It can aggravate their symptoms and make their decline more rapid. Some replacement social activity is in order. ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Sleep-Disorder.jpg\")
<\/p>\n16. Losing Their Grit<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/changes-in-appetite.jpg\")
17. Eating Issues<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Therapy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n18. Losing Motor Skills and Touching<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Socks-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n19. Dressing Issues<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/Bad-Breath.jpg\")
<\/p>\n20. Low Sense of Hygiene<\/h3>\n
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