10 Warning Signs Of Alzheimer's Disease

No doubt about it: Alzheimer’s Disease can be absolutely devastating to patients and their caregivers.

If someone you love is beginning to show early warning signs of Alzheimer’s, it’s important to start making plans for specialized care.

That often includes considering moving into a retirement residence—specifically, a place that provides memory care and assisted living care.

According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, about 40% of people over age 65 experience some form of memory loss.

But memory loss doesn’t mean you have Alzheimer’s.

Generally speaking, the difference between normal ageing and Alzheimer’s is about the frequency and degree to which things occur.

Here are 10 early warning signs that someone may have Alzheimer’s Disease:

Memory loss: forgetting important events and names; relying heavily on memory aids
Difficulty with planning or problem-solving: like budgeting, or following a recipe
Difficulty completing everyday tasks: whether at work, home or otherwise
Confusion with time and place: getting lost easily, forgetting how they got there
Vision/spatial problems: difficulty differentiating colours, judging distances, reading words
New problems with words: calling things the wrong name, dropping off in mid-sentence to find an ordinary word
Losing things: putting items in strange places, inability to retrace steps
Poor judgment: trusting the wrong people with money, not focusing on hygiene
Social withdrawal: lack of motivation, sleeping more often, scaling back on work and social time
Drastic mood changes: getting upset more easily, feeling suspicious of others

There are many benefits to securing new housing in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.

Easier to move: If the patient stays too long in their own home, they may become more stubborn, suspicious, and therefore be harder to move.
Get them familiarized early: By moving them to a place in the early stages, they can familiarize themselves with and get comfortable in their new surroundings.
Specialized medical support: A spouse can only provide so much care to a person with Alzheimer’s! By moving into a retirement residence, you can be assured that your husband or wife will be cared for by professionals.
Management of medication and meals: Over time, a person with Alzheimer’s experiences increased challenges in caring for themselves, planning things, and following instructions. Living in a residence, their personal needs will be tended to.