Issue link: https://www.newlifestylesdigital.com/i/386296
62 • www.thecareguide.com MEMORY CARE alzheimer disease: Alzheimer disease is a progressive, degenerative disease which is often difficult to recognize as people may think the symptoms are part of normal aging. I T is important that your loved one see a doctor when you notice any of the symptoms below as they may be due to other conditions such as depression or an infection. If the diagnosis is Alzheimer Disease, your local Alzheimer Society can help. 1 800 616 8816 or visit www.alzheimer.ca. 1. Memory loss that affects day-to-day function - forgetting things more often and not remembering them later, especially things that have happened more recently. 2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks - trouble with tasks that have been routine or familiar such as preparing a meal. 3. Problems with language - forgetting simple words or substituting words, making sentences difficult to understand. 4. Disorientation of time and place - becoming lost on their own street, not knowing how they got there or how to get home. 5. Poor or decreased judgment - for example, not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing heavy clothing on a hot day. 6. Problems with abstract thinking - such as balancing a cheque book or not recognizing what the numbers in the cheque book mean. 7. Misplacing things - putting things in inappropriate places such as an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl. 8. Changes in mood and behaviour - varied mood swings, from calm to tears to anger, for no apparent reason. 9. Changes in personality - becoming confused, suspicious or withdrawn. Changes may also include apathy, fearfulness or acting out of character. 10. Loss of initiative - becoming very passive, requiring cues and prompts to become involved. 10 early indicators For more information, contact your local Alzheimer Society at Source: Courtesy of the Alzheimer Society of Canada