The early signs of
Alzheimer’s may be subtle and difficult to detect. You would think
that I would be very aware since my in-laws moved in with us so we could
provide support for my father-in-law 3 years after he had been diagnosed with
early-onset Alzheimer’s. I had a close and up-front opportunity to
observe and become all too familiar with the symptoms and problems associated
with memory loss during his last three years while we shared the same living
space. But the indications in the beginning stages are often
infrequent, not always obvious, and certainly less acute than someone in the
mid or final stages of dementia.
Maybe I was in denial, or
like many husbands, just oblivious to what my wife was feeling and
experiencing. Unfortunately, I was already stressed and
overcommitted with work and community responsibilities outside the home, and
busy just trying to keep up with my day-to-day schedule. It’s a poor
excuse, but my wife was definitely more functional than her aging mother, who was
living with us, and things seemed to be running well in the home with the two
of them to plan, shop, cook, clean, etc.
I remember my wife seemed a
little depressed and spent more time watching TV, but I thought she was just
missing our daughters who were away at college, and otherwise I didn’t detect
any major concerns. And in spite of any mental decline, Kristie was still very quick witted and able to use humor to quickly cover her memory
issues.
Maybe it is just my wife’s
family, but her younger brother who was also diagnosed with early-onset
Alzheimer’s resorted to humor and joking to cover his
forgetfulness. Because he was funny, many of his friends and members
of his church congregation were in denial regarding his dementia and
forgetfulness for years after he was diagnosed.
Significant personality
changes – like withdrawal, depression, or joking about everything - are early
indicators that there could be memory issues which are troubling someone as
they lose their confidence, causing them to retreat or try to cover their
insecurities and absent-mindedness.
While my wife used humor to
cover her mistakes, she wasn’t quick enough to hide her memory decline from our
two daughters who came to visit twice a year. Maybe they had the
advantage of being able to compare their conversations with and observations of
their mother from 6-months or a year ago, and realized something wasn’t
right. They both mentioned to me their concern after our time
together during the summer of 2004, and suggested I talk with our family doctor
about being tested for Alzheimer’s.
Their observations made me
more aware, but I still wasn’t fully convinced until a few months later when
Kristie started having problems remembering how to get to
places. She had been going to a chiropractor occasionally, and
suddenly she asked me draw her a map of how to get there, even though she had
driven herself there for more than a year. That is when I knew her
memory was failing. Two months later, she asked me if I could drive
her there, which really confirmed what I already realized - she had memory
issues that I could no longer overlook or deny. Convincing or
persuading our family doctor to recommend cognitive testing, however, was
another time-delayed frustrating story which I detail in Getting a Diagnosis.
Let’s face it, almost
everyone experiences senior moments of forgetfulness where we can’t remember
someone’s name or some information that is just second nature to
us. The haunting questions is whether this lapse of memory is just a
momentary age-related hiccup which we will remember later, or an actual
indication of mild cognitive impairment?
Fortunately, society is becoming more aware, concerned, and sympathetic to the warning signs of cognitive
dementia. Studies show that about 1 in every 12 Americans age 50 and
above may have some mild memory issues which indicate the beginning stages of
Alzheimer’s or other cognitive impairment. The Resource Links below
provide quick access to a number of articles and instruments which can help
determine the extent of memory problems.
It is very helpful to keep
a journal and write down whenever you notice a memory lapse or some confusion
that indicates cognitive impairment for someone you suspect could
been experiencing memory loss. This will allow you to see better
both the progression and extent of disfunction; and allow you to share this
information with others if you proceed to get a diagnosis.
*Note - I highly recommend writing
down and sharing events and indications of memory problems with counselors and
medical personnel in written form, rather embarrassing and demoralizing the
person having problems by trying to describe in detail their failings and
faulty memory with them listening. They already feel stupid and
recounting all their faux pas in public will only increase their anxiety and
distrust in themselves and you.
Your comments or willingness to share related experiences and what you have observed below about warning signs would be helpful and appreciated.
Resource Links
· 10 Early
Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s – A list
of 10 warning signs and symptoms from the Alzheimer’s Association to help
identify age-related change verses mild cognitive impairment indicating dementia.
· Catch It Early - a resource
for learning about Alzheimer’s disease, including the earliest
clinical stage, mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Sometimes
symptoms can be mistaken for normal aging, but it could be more and
worsen over time, and the sooner you catch MCI due to Alzheimer’s the
better.
· Healthline 10 Early Symptoms of Dementia - A person needs to have at least two types of impairment that significantly interfere with everyday life to receive a dementia diagnosis.
· A Place for Mom - 8 dementia symptoms to track in elderly parents.
· National Institute
on Aging - What are the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's
disease?
· John Hopkins list of early symptoms:
- Ø Forgetting important things, particularly newly learned information or important dates
- Ø Asking for the same information again and again
- Ø Trouble solving basic problems, such as keeping track of bills or following a favorite recipe
- Ø Losing track of the date or time of year
- Ø Losing track of where you are and how you got there
- Ø Trouble with depth perception or other vision problems
- Ø Trouble joining conversations or finding the right word for something
- Ø Misplacing things and not being able to retrace your steps to find it
- Ø Increasingly poor judgment
- Ø Withdrawal from work and social situations
- Ø Changes in mood and personality
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