Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

Experts say memory loss -- especially short-term memory loss -- is the most obvious sign that Alzheimer’s may be involved.  But how do you tell the difference between the normal memory problems many of us seem to have as we get older and Alzheimer’s?  You know what I mean.  Not being able to recall right away the name of someone you know well.  Or remembering right away what you had for dinner last  night.   How about connecting names with faces?  That’s a problem many people have who are co-dependent or in recovery. None of these common happenings need concern you. So when should we start to worry?  Here’s what WebMD has to say:

Do you easily forget information you just learned? Do you lose track of important dates, names, and events? Do you forget big things even happened? Do you ask for the same information over and over? Do you rely heavily on memory aids like Post-it notes or reminders on your smartphone?

If you’ve noticed such difficulties with yourself or with a family member, it’s probably time to check with your doctor and ask for an appointment with a neurologist to see what’s going on.

 Some other signs that Alzheimer’s may be present:

• Planning and problem-solving difficulties. Are you having problems balancing your checkbook, adding and subtracting numbers?  How about following directions in a recipe that used to be easy to do?

• Completing daily tasks that are usually very easy becomes difficult. Are you losing track of what you’re doing in the middle of a task and then not complete it?

• Getting lost, becoming disoriented.. Realizing that you don’t know where you are or how to get home.

• Vision problems. Not being able to read words on a page, not able to tell the difference between colors, or mis-judging distances – all could indicate the onset of Alzheimer’s.