Alzheimer's Symptoms
Alzheimer’s Disease effects over “5 million people
and their loved ones”, according to the Alzheimer’s
Association. Alzheimer’s symptoms are listed here with
real life examples to help you better understand those
suffering with Alzheimer’s disease from their perspective:
You realize it is getting dark and the day is gone. You feel
hungry and realize you haven't eaten and you forgot to feed
the cat. It is pacing, meowing at you. You can't remember
what you did all day. It seems like you just got up….
You are lonely but you avoid social events and don't want to
see friends. You turn down invitations. It is just too hard...
You start tasks or projects and watch them pile up around
the house uncompleted, but can’t seem to stay focused on
what you are doing to finish them.Read more
Summary of Alzheimer’s Symptoms
( Recognizing the symptoms can mean early treatment and delay of onset of stages.)
1. Memory problems: mostly problems with short term memory, unable to recall what they did the day before, have difficulty learning new things because they can’t retain information needed to proceed, may forget the use of common items.
2. Language / communication: trouble finding the right words, names for things that are familiar, trouble understanding conversations.
3. Poor Judgment: May make unwise financial decisions, tend to be impulsive in areas they were once cautious, may exhibit improper social behavior, act out sexually.
4. Difficulties with normal tasks: shopping, keeping appointments, paying bills, making meals, applying for assistance, filling out forms.
5. Disoriented, confusion about dates, time, location, may get lost in familiar places, have trouble driving on right side of street, make dangerous driving choices, get lost in parking lot, unable to find the exit.
6. Unable to finish complex tasks: balance checkbook, creating and adapting plans, unable to follow a recommended diet or medication program.
7. Losing / misplacing objects, placing things in unusual places like a plant in the refrigerator.
8. Behavioral changes: may be angry or sad then become elated, may have sudden outbursts of temper, a very independent person may become needy and dependant.
9. Personality changes: suspicious, even paranoid about lost items, strangers, timid about going out to new places, meeting new people or even socializing with friends.
10.Lost interest in life: apathetic, withdrawn behavior, may spend days at a time just sleeping and watching television or movies.
As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, symptoms become more extreme:
1. Experience cold in body no matter what the temperature or how heavily dressed. May wear a heavy coat in summer on a warm day and still complain of the cold.
2. Problems with eating and swallowing. may choke on food regularly.
3. Wanders away from home and can’t find way back, may go to a bus stop they once frequented.
4. Stays up all night, unable to sleep, wanders around house at all hours.
5. Unable to recognize familiar people, even family members, may mistake a son for a husband.
6. Unable to perform normal toileting, becomes incontinent of bladder and bowels.
7. Communication becomes increasingly difficult.
8. Incapable of managing own medications, eating a healthy diet or cooking safely without supervision.
9. In final stages, bedridden, uncommunicative, non responsive.
ALZHEIMER'S SYMPTOMS
You can't find your keys, but that happens to everyone, right? except when you finally find them and they are in your hand, you are confused about why you needed them and not even sure what they do. You look at them and they seem foreign to you. You know they belong on the hook so you put them there and go watch television forgetting you were supposed to meet friends for lunch. Later you are hungry and know there is something about eating you have forgotten.
You can't find your diamond earrings. You are sure you put them in the little crystal dish on the dresser where you always put them. You look around and wonder if someone has been in the house. You feel afraid as you often do lately. Did someone steal the earrings? Is someone coming into the house and taking things when you aren't home? Later you get ready for bed and put your hands in your bathrobe pockets. Your earrings are in the right pocket. You are relieved to find them, but still feel uneasy.
You are reading a book and stop to go to the bathroom. When you get back, you can't remember what you were reading and go back to start again. You have read the opening paragraph numerous times, but it doesn't stay with you. You decide to keep reading hoping you will pick up the story.
You go to the refrigerator to get some ice tea and when you reach for it you notice your violet plant and wonder why it is in there, after all you watered it this morning. It takes a moment before you realize it doesn't belong there and you take it out, but you feel confused and disconnected.
It is Christmas. Your family got a new game and want you to play with them. You have trouble understanding the rules and need a lot of help to finish.
You go to the store with a list and get everything on it, but when you get home you find another list with many of the same items, but other things you have forgotten that you needed. You don’t remember making the list.
You put important dates on the calendar like doctor appointments. Though you check regularly, you still forget them.
You have trouble remembering how to take your medications.
The following are some of the CAUSES OF DEMENTIA:
Depression: This can cause many symptoms similar to early stage Alzheimer's. With the loss of a loved one or a major disruption that changes the quality of one’s life, it is reasonable to expect mild forgetfulness, sadness, feeling out of touch, and a desire for time alone to process feelings. Depression can be crippling and lead to major problems if it is long term and untreated. If someone has this condition and it is ongoing or worsening, then it would be good to seek help. Many treatments for depression are only short term, nonaddicting and can change the course of a person's life.
Thyroid: Hypothyroidism. If a person has insufficient thyroid this can lead to a form of dementia which can include short term memory loss and depression. This can usually be corrected with the right dosage of thyroid medication. Untreated, it could lead to permanent problems.
Diabetes: Not only can diabetes lead to heart attack and stroke, unmanaged insulin levels can lead to dementia. Some types of diabetes can be controlled with diet and exercise, others may require more aggressive treatment with oral medication or insulin shots and changes in lifestyle. The earlier the detection, the more effective the treatment will be and the less damage that will occur that could possibly lead to an earlier onset of Alzheimer's.
Urinary Infection/dehydration: Many people do not realize that in an older person, something as simple as dehydration or a urinary infection can cause dementia. Many older people who live alone do not drink enough fluids and as a result become dehydrated. This makes them more susceptible to bladder and kidney infections. This is easily treatable, but again left untreated can lead to serious problems such as kidney/renal failure. Some potential clients for assisted living return home after screening for this and being stabilized. The important thing is that the person continues to drink enough fluids when once again at home.
Arteriosclerosis/vascular disease: restricted blood flow to the brain can cause dementia in different stages depending on the severity of development. Once again, it is important to get checked and pursue treatment. More than one instance of someone who seemed to have severe dementia returned to their full faculties when treated. Many things can effect the brain, a trauma to the head in an accident, clots, hemorrhages, etc.
Seven Potential Behavior Problems and ways to manage them:
1.Not using the toilet/urinating in inappropriate places. Check bathroom floor to be certain it does not have patterns like checks which would look like holes to a person with Alzheimer’s. Ask them to walk with you, take them to the bathroom and suggest they go ahead and use it and you will wait.
2. Leaves the stove on at night or turns it on at inappropriate times. If it is an electric stove, unplug it. If it is a gas stove, remove the handles when the person is unsupervised.
3. Refuses to bathe/shower. Find something to motivate the person so they want to clean up, such as telling them they need to get ready for a special event like a wedding, or visiting friends.
4. Person becomes upset the same time everyday and tries to leave. Question them conversationally and discover to what age they have regressed. Find out what happened everyday at that time they think they need to do and resolve the problem for them by creating a scenario they can accept. Example: Though she is in her 80’s and has no children under 50, a woman who waited at the bus stop for her small children everyday, when she was 25, needs assurance they are being picked up by a neighbor
5. Fidgeting, pacing, but not social. Find ways to engage them in activities they enjoy, even if they can’t do them properly. Painting watercolors, baking cookies, sing alongs, working on small broken appliances, planting flowers, can all be enjoyable activities.
6. Becomes more and more irritable late in the day. Perform all activities that require physical effort from the person, such as bathing and dressing or trips out in the early part of the day.Plan restful activities for afternoons. Give snacks and beverages to keep blood sugar level and keep the person hydrated.
7. Dehydrated, doesn’t drink water. Give small amounts at a time in a juice size glass. Get a drink for yourself and say, I was thirsty and thought you might like a drink of water and hand it to them. Most people will accept just to be polite and will take a few swallows. Supplement water with stevia sweetened tea, hot or cold as they prefer. Recently tea was discovered to have good hydrating properties. Offer fruit juice popsicles, or chunks of watermelon