If you have any family members who had early stage of alzheimer's, what was the sign for it ?
I'm asking because my mama has very late stage of alzheimer's and I was not able to notice it til the middle of alzheimer's ...
As well as Im thinking my MIL might show signs of Alzheimer's ?? Because last Friday evening, she asked me and my hubby to bring 3 bags of chips and dips for the bday party for my FIL ... So the next morning we went and grabbed the items ... Just 1/2 hour before the party started, she called and asked my hubby to bring sodas to the party and he told her that she had asked for bags of chips and she said she did not say that ... That grew me concern about her cuz she's done that a few times this year ...
No one in her family history has gotten Alzheimers ...
Thanks ... It is quite normal for people to have some memory loss as they age.
I once had someone tell me that if your forget where you put your keys, that is normal. If you forget what a key is, that is Alzheimer's.
People with Alzheimer's often forget the names of common things.
I was discussing my 81-year-old mother's behavior with my shrink recently, and described how she had forgotten conversations we had had. He told me that that was not ordinary memory loss, because she not only forgot the conversations--some of which were on critical subjects--but she insisted they had never taken place. He said that that was a strong indication of Alzheimer's.
I had an aunt who eventually died of it, and one of her first problems was that she forgot how to cook.
I found a list of ten common symptoms from the Alzheimer's Association. Follow the link. My grandmother first starting forgetting that she had lit the pilot light of her water heater. My parents lived about 2 hours away from her and she would call very frequently saying that her pilot light went out again. My dad would drive up there and it would be lit. She just did little stuff like that at first, then it was like it all came on at once, she had to move in with my parents until she passed. She couldnt remember who anyone was except me (which is wierd cause she isnt my real grandmother my "dad" adopted me when i was 16, he is my stepfather) she couldnt even remember her real granddaughter. She would call my mom, mom and she would sing random songs that she would make up. And she would always say she was thirsty but wouldnt drink. There is so much that i could say but it would take up ALOT of room. I can tell you more if you want though, just let me know!! In hindsight I'd say my father showed symptoms 5+ years before he was diagnosed.
Physically, he seemed to age overnight when he hit 55. We joked that because he had joined AARP he'd made himself old. He started to shuffle when he walked, and walked a bit stooped. His driving, always cautious, became glacially slow. He started overreacting to things--hitting a bump in the road produced a loud "ooh" and wince as if he had been personally hit by a hammer. He became fixated on certain subjects, like raspberries and butterflies, wanting to talk about them all the time.
He insisted on retiring early (62)--later on we found out he was making a lot of mistakes at work, forgetting how to do things, doing things wrong--and went to work as a crossing guard. He became really strange--almost stupid--while working there and we thought it was lack of human contact, compared to his last job as a car salesman.
Then he started to have trouble speaking; he was forgetting words and mixing up words, and when he wrote my mom notes he made a lot of mistakes. He was formally diagnosed with AD at age 63, and now is 67 and in a nursing home, almost all his speech capacity gone.
Would things have gone differently if he'd been diagnosed and given medication sooner? We'll never know.
My father never displayed some of the "classic" hallmarks of AD. He never thought I was my mother, or that it was 10 or 20 years ago. He didn't tell you something and then tell you again 5 minutes later (although he did forget what was told to him quite often). He may have acted like a child, but he didn't think he was a child. (His aunt who died of dementia right after he was diagnosed, thought her 25 year old grandson was his father, then later his grandfather, then a boy coming to take her on a date--she thought she was 20 years old and looked for her sister and parents who are all dead.) It's not always easy to know when a person crosses over the line from normal forgetfulness to a serious memory problem. That's why it's important to know the symptoms. In addition to memory loss, there are other common Alzheimer's symptoms related to everyday activities and behavior.
Some Signs of Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease
Becoming more forgetful
Losing things, such as keys, more than usual
Repeating himself/herself, or asking the same questions over and over
Problems doing simple tasks, such as getting dressed
Trouble solving problems
Changes in mood and behavior
Concerned a Loved One Has Alzheimer's?
If you think a loved one may have Alzheimer's disease, it's important to take your loved one to see a doctor as soon as you can. An early diagnosis offers a chance to treat symptoms of the disease early. And, like any health issue, the sooner it鈥檚 addressed, the better.
The Alzheimer's Screener can be a useful tool. Answer the questions below to help find out if the problems of the person you care for could be symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. You must answer all 11 questions. Your answers do not mean the person you have answered for has a disease such as Alzheimer's. But, they may mean a visit to the doctor is needed. When you're done, print the results. If you are planning to take your loved one to the doctor, you can bring them with you to discuss.
Alzheimer's Screener
Does he/she often repeat him/herself or ask the same questions over and over? Yes No Don't Know
Is he/she more forgetful, that is, having trouble with short-term memory? Yes No Don't Know
Does he/she need reminders to do things like chores, shopping, or taking medicine? Yes No Don't Know
Does he/she forget appointments, family occasions, or holidays? Yes No Don't Know
Does he/she seem sad, down in the dumps, or cry more often than in the past? Yes No Don't Know
Has he/she started having trouble doing calculations, managing finances, or balancing the checkbook? Yes No Don't Know
Has he/she lost interest in his/her activities such as hobbies, reading, attending church, or other social activities? Yes No Don't Know
Has he/she started needing help eating, dressing, bathing, or using the bathroom? Yes No Don't Know
Has he/she become irritable, agitated, suspicious, or started seeing, hearing, or believing things that are not real? Yes No Don't Know
Are there concerns about his/her driving, for example getting lost or driving unsafely, or has the person had to stop driving? If he/she has never driven, answer "No." Yes No Don't Know
Does he/she have trouble finding the words he/she wants to say, finishing sentences, or naming people or things? Yes No Don't Know
Adapted from Mundt JC, Freed DM, Griest JH. Lay person-based screening for early detection of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease: development and validation of an instrument. J Gerontol Psychol Sci Sco. 2000;55B:163-170. I work in an Alzheimer's facility, and my grandpa got it late he was 92 when he passed and he was around 90 when he got Alzheimer's. Many signs forgetfulness, confusion. I wish that more people would take classes to learn about the disease, it is very interesting |
