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- An increasing need to rely on reminder notes or apps may be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
- People who constantly have trouble finding the right words during a conversation may have Alzheimer’s disease.
- Confusion, irritability, and being suspicious are among the mood and personality changes caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain, causing a gradual decline in cognitive skills. Here are ten signs that you shouldn’t ignore:
1. Memory loss that affects daily life
Forgetting recently received information, like dates or events, is a common sign of Alzheimer’s disease’s early stage. A person with Alzheimer’s may also ask the same questions repeatedly and rely heavily on memory aids (reminders) for things they usually handle independently.
2. Difficulty planning or solving problems
Some people with dementia may experience difficulty developing and following a plan, like a recipe, or working with numbers, like managing monthly bills. The condition may also affect their ability to concentrate and the time they carry out certain tasks.
3. Having a hard time completing familiar tasks
People living with Alzheimer’s usually have difficulty completing daily tasks, like driving to a familiar place, organizing a list, or remembering how to use some household appliances.
4. Disorientation
Losing track of the passage of time is common among people with Alzheimer’s. They may also forget where they are and how they got there and find it hard to understand something that is not happening at the moment.
5. Vision problems
Some people with Alzheimer’s develop vision problems that may affect their balance or reading ability. They may also have difficulty judging distance and figuring out color or contrast, which affects their driving.
6. Language problems
Alzheimer’s patients may also find it difficult to follow or join a conversation, stopping mid-conversation and struggling to continue, or repeating themselves. They may have trouble with vocabulary, like naming a familiar object or using the wrong word.
7. Misplacing things
A person with Alzheimer’s may keep things in unusual places, eventually losing them because of their inability to retrace their steps. The patient may even accuse other people of stealing their things.
8. Poor judgment
Individuals may experience difficulty in making the right judgment or decision, like when dealing with money. They may even have trouble grooming or keeping up with their personal hygiene.
9. Losing interest in work or social activities
Because of trouble following a conversation, a person with Alzheimer’s disease may withdraw from hobbies, social activities, or other gatherings.
10. Mood and personality changes
A person with Alzheimer’s may experience mood and personality changes, developing feelings of confusion, depression, fear, anxiety, and being suspicious. They may get easily upset and become irritable with routine changes. They also develop particular ways of accomplishing things.
Get checked
If you notice any of these signs in yourself or another person, you may feel uncertain or nervous about discussing what you are experiencing. However, Alzheimer’s disease is a significant health concern that needs a doctor’s evaluation for proper action about your condition.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association