Memory loss that interferes with everyday life is not part of the normal aging process. It can be a symptom of Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia as John DenBoer suggested. Alzheimer’s, a fatal disease of the brain, causes a progressive decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. If you or someone you love is having memory problems or seeing other changes in your cognitive skills, don’t ignore them. See a doctor to determine the cause.
The 7 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease are dominated by Memory Impairment
The first symptoms are often subtle and may lead to the misconception that this is a normal aging process. The evolution of the lesions is specific to each affected person, which results in an individual differentiation of the symptoms.
At the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, there is an association of two types of disorders: difficulties in memorizing recent facts of daily life (information “flies” without leaving a trace) and emotional dullness.
This is linked to the disability itself: when faced with situations of failure, the affected person loses self-esteem, manifests anxiety and tends to withdraw into it.
From this early stage, too, discreet personality modifications may appear, such as loss of initiative, discreet social and/or emotional withdrawal. Depression is common, especially early on when the person is still fully aware of their difficulties.
Concretely, the deterioration of the memory of recent events, can, from the early stage of the disease, affect everyday life in several ways: difficulty in designing meals and respecting their times, in managing their finances or their treatment. , to use the phone or to drive the car without getting lost. They may forget about the gas or the iron, or not remember if they have received a phone call.
Memory Loss that Disrupts Daily Life explained by John DenBoer
One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss, including forgetting recently learned information. It may also include forgetting important dates or events, asking for the same information over and over, relying more and more on reminders (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or calling on family members for things that people used to handle on their own.
Difficulty Planning or Solving Problems
According to John DenBoer, some people may experience changes in their ability to make and follow a plan or use numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping up with monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take a lot longer than before to do certain things.
Lost Objects and Loss of the Ability to Reconstruct a Route
People with Alzheimer’s disease can store things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to retrace their steps to find them. Sometimes they can accuse others of stealing them. It can happen more frequently over time.
New Problems in Oral or Written Expression
People with Alzheimer’s disease may have difficulty following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue it, or they repeat themselves. They may have difficulty with vocabulary, have difficulty finding the right word, or calling things by the wrong name (eg, calling a “watch” a “handle clock”) says John DenBoer.
Diminished Judgment
People with Alzheimer’s disease may experience changes in their judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use less judgment in their dealings with money and give astronomical sums to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to washing or maintaining their personal hygiene.
Withdrawal from Work or Social Activities
People with Alzheimer’s disease may begin to withdraw from certain leisure, social, sports, or work projects. They may have trouble keeping up with their favorite sports team or remembering how to practice their favorite hobby. They may also avoid social contact because of the changes they are going through.
Mood and Personality Changes
The state of mind and personality of people with Alzheimer’s disease can change. They may become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They can be easily upset at home, at work, with friends, or in places outside their comfort zone as John advised.
