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Home » Blog » CAREGIVING » RESOURCES » 10 SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S/DEMENTIA

March 30, 2015 By Rena McDaniel 29 Comments

10 SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S/DEMENTIA

Today I thought I would bring you some of the signs to look for in a loved one who might be suffering from Alzheimer’s/Dementia. I’ve included 10 behaviors that may get your attention when your loved one is having a problem.

This is where I stress that I am by no means a Doctor or even an expert. If you suspect that someone you love may be suffering from Alzheimer’s make appointment with their Dr. You need to be able to talk with their Dr. about your concerns and relate any signs that you may have witnessed. There are tests that can be run to determine if it is another medical problem such as Depression, a UTI or maybe even a side effect of some medications.

10 SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S/DEMENTIA…

  • Forgetting things like planned events; like a lunch date with friends or a doctor’s appointment
  • Having trouble following directions; like a recipe or balancing their checkbook.
  • Difficulty completing tasks; like turning on the microwave or maybe operating the remote control.
  • Forgetting the time or date even the seasons.
  • Problems with finding the right words in a conversation.
  • Losing things; misplacing a necklace or a hairbrush etc.
  • Bad judgment;  this can mean sending large amounts of money to charities or maybe not bathing often enough.
  • Withdrawing from things they used to love to do; maybe the don’t remember how to work the sewing machine, how to knit.  They may not want to be around other people.
  • Mood swings; they may get emotional as they start to realize that they are having problems.  They may become irritable when there are changes in their routines.
  •  Trouble understanding visual images or spatial relationships; some have a hard time seeing, judging distances and determining colors. Which is such a hazard when it comes to driving.
I would like to say a big thank you to all of the caregivers that have come before me. Without their expertise, I don’t know where we would be. There are so many great articles out there. I have some favorite websites that I search often and I am including those in this post.
 SeniorAdvice.com

alzheimersreadingroom.com

alz.org

alzheimers.gov

togetherinthis.com

If someone you love is showing one or all of the signs above it is time to get to the Dr. There are some medications that can slow the progress of Alzheimer’s/Dementia down and important decisions that will need to be made as soon as possible.

Check out my “Having The Alzheimer’s Conversation” and “What To Do After The Alzheimer’s Conversation” posts to help you decide how to start that conversation.

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Filed Under: RESOURCES, RESOURCES, TIPS, TIPS Tagged With: Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Awareness, Alzheimer's progress

About Rena McDaniel

I'm a recovering Alzheimer's Caregiver, a former loving daughter, a current wife, mom, and grandma who remembers all too clearly what it is like on the front lines of Alz Caregiving. I provide real advice, pro tips, or excellent tools from my own experiences and other experts I find along the way. A community of caregivers supporting each other!

« REMEMBERING THE PAST THROUGH ALZHEIMER’S
ONE WAY TICKET TO ALZHEIMER’S WORLD »

Comments

  1. plutrell says

    March 30, 2015 at 9:26 am

    Thanks for sharing this list Rena!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 30, 2015 at 10:39 am

      Thanks Pam I appreciate your support.

      Reply
  2. Carol Cassara (@ccassara) says

    March 30, 2015 at 9:28 am

    I have one of these. So far. But it’s something to think about!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 30, 2015 at 10:39 am

      I have a few of these on the list as well. Scary thoughts!

      Reply
  3. kimtb says

    March 30, 2015 at 10:08 am

    Thanks for sharing this list. I have a dear one who has some of these, and is under the care of Stanford Memory Clinic…the more info we have, the more we can support her (and her husband).

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 30, 2015 at 10:41 am

      I agree Kim! Knowledge is definitely power especially with a disease that feels so powerless!

      Reply
  4. Joy Christi says

    March 30, 2015 at 10:10 am

    Thank you so much for all you do, and for sharing this list. This runs in my husband’s family, his grandfather is getting to the heart-breaking stage of not recognizing his own family. It’s so hard on everyone.
    Thank you so much for the information. I know there isn’t much you can do, but recognizing it early can really help have a better quality of life.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 30, 2015 at 10:42 am

      Thanks so much for your comments. It is such a hard disease to live with and I’m so sorry that you are learning first hand. One day maybe they will find a cure or at least a viable treatment.

      Reply
  5. Rena McDaniel says

    March 30, 2015 at 10:40 am

    Thanks so much Claudia I am so happy that you enjoyed this.

    Reply
  6. Lana says

    March 30, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    Thanks for sharing this list Rena. Sometimes it’s hard to notice the changes in our loved ones because it’s so subtle. With my mother in law, the thing that finally got our attention was her inability to cook anymore – she couldn’t even remember how to heat up a can of soup.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 30, 2015 at 1:01 pm

      My mom is the same way Lana. Of course she hasn’t forgotten how to make a pop tart!

      Reply
  7. Cathy Chester says

    March 30, 2015 at 1:00 pm

    My FIL had surgery in August and never fully came out of anesthesia.They say this happens in 80% of elderly after surgery. It’s frustrating for him and us to see this strong, vital man not be able to remember what day it is or where his glasses are. But he can tell us stories from 50 years ago. Thanks for this, Rena. I think he had a little dementia to begin with but now I know even more from you.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 30, 2015 at 1:03 pm

      You are so very welcome Cathy. That has to be so rough. I have heard of that before and it sounds so scary. I will keep you in my prayers. So glad I could help!

      Reply
  8. Roz Warren says

    March 30, 2015 at 1:40 pm

    Good list. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 30, 2015 at 2:09 pm

      Thanks so much Roz! I really appreciate it.

      Reply
  9. Pia Savage says

    March 30, 2015 at 4:49 pm

    It’s important for people to understand that some of us have always had some of those problems. They’re only a sign when they’re a new behavior.

    It scares me to think that people judge me on the basis of spatial relationships.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 31, 2015 at 6:46 am

      You are right Pia these behaviors can mean a lot of different things. It’s very important to see your Dr. for a realy diagnosis.

      Reply
  10. valj2750 says

    March 30, 2015 at 10:04 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this. My own step father turned 86 today and I have some real concerns about his mental acumen. He uses a calendar to make sure he makes all his appointments (I take him) but sometimes he forgets to turn the stove off. What are the actual signs of mental aging vs. Alzheimers?

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 31, 2015 at 6:49 am

      That would be different in everybody I would assume. There are several written test that you can do at home and take to a Dr.s appointment with you. They are called the SAGE tests and are free on the internet to download and print. I used them with my own mother and they are very simple to do. In the next week or two I will write a post on them with a link to get to them from here. If you need help finding them before that you can email me at rm29303@gmail.com and I can email you the link! Thanks so much for your comments.

      Reply
  11. Nancy Fox says

    March 31, 2015 at 10:10 am

    This is such a valuable list Rena. Thank you so much for sharing it with all of us!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 31, 2015 at 11:33 am

      Thanks so much Nancy! I really appreciate your comments.

      Reply
  12. Laura says

    March 31, 2015 at 10:30 am

    What great information! Thank you for sharing it. People worry about dementia and many people worry too much about it. Some memory lapses are expected but others are warning signs. It’s good to understand the differences.

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      March 31, 2015 at 11:40 am

      Thanks Laura! I so happy you liked it! I agree I think we are so worried about getting Alzheimer’s that when we forget little things we tend to panic over it. We’re all busy people with hectic lives and we are going to forget some things. It’s just human nature. If someone is really worried then they should see a Dr! In the case of my mother she was illustrating every one of these behaviors and we still didn’t recognize it for a very long time…or at least the extent of it!

      Reply
  13. Rena McDaniel says

    March 31, 2015 at 11:37 am

    I agree there are some on the list that many of us may have. In our busy lives, it becomes very easy to forget small things. I think the distinction may be when we forget something and we are reminded of it, we remember. When someone with Alzheimer’s forgets something and they are reminded of it, they still don’t remember. Seeing a Dr. is always your very best bet!

    Reply
  14. batteredhope says

    March 31, 2015 at 6:59 pm

    There are a few on your list that I never would have thought of but they make total sense – especially coupled with other ones. It is true that we all experience some of these things some of the time but put it all together and it makes a LOT of sense. Thank you

    Reply
  15. JoyPageManuel says

    April 1, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    This is a very useful, straightforward list, Rena. Thanks so much for sharing this. I’m sure it wasn’t easy to write as you had to sort through your own experiences. But it’s really important that loved ones/family members take the time to observe. I read an article a few months ago saying that doctors often miss a lot of the signs and it’s really up to the family/close relatives to be very vigilant. xoxo

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      April 2, 2015 at 6:57 am

      Thanks so much Joy! I read that same article and it really got me thinking about what I see and what I don’t. It’s very important to pay attention to what is going on.

      Reply
  16. Roshni says

    April 1, 2015 at 8:16 pm

    I do forget things, even the dates, but luckily I’m good with everything else. Not joking; I was worried about having dementia. I will also forward this list to my mom who is worried about her sister who was very meticulous but who now suffers from memory loss. Hopefully, this list will be helpful for her too!

    Reply
    • Rena McDaniel says

      April 2, 2015 at 7:03 am

      That’s terrific Roshni! So glad I could help. It is so important to keep great notes to take to any Dr.s appointments. In a space of just a few minutes it really is nearly impossible for a Dr. to make a diagnosis without input from the family. Thanks so much for your comments.

      Reply

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