Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia. Alongside vascular dementia it makes up 90% of the cases of dementia. Alzheimer’s accounts for between 60 to 80% of these cases.
Alzheimer’s causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. Symptoms slowly develop over time and only become more progressive. These usually becoming serve enough to interfere with a person’s daily life. Although Alzheimer’s will not directly cause the death of it’s suffers (people tend to die from complications of their illness) it will shorten their life span.
Facts To Know About Alzheimer’s
- Alzheimer’s is not a natural part of growing old.
- The majority of people diagnosed are over 65 years. But younger people can also get it, this is called early onset Alzheimer’s.
- Alzheimer’s is progressive, with symptoms gradually worsening over time.
- Once diagnosed people on average live for four to eight years, but some may live for 20 years. But this does depend on other factors.
- Alzheimer’s has currently no cure. But treatments for symptoms are available and can temporarily slow the symptoms.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s You Need To Know.
The most common early symptom of Alzheimer’s is difficulty remembering newly learned information. Our brain does naturally change as we age. We may notice slower thinking or occasional problems with memory. But the following are signs you should watch out for:
Memory Loss
Memory loss that disrupts daily life, getting more progressive as the disease progresses. Forgetting important dates or events. Asking for the same information over and over, and increasingly needing to rely on memory aids. For example reminder notes or electronic devices. Or asking family members for help with things they used to handle on their own.
Confusion
Confusion about events, time and place. Forgetting appointments but later remembering them is normal as you age.
Issues With Planning Or Solving Problems.
Challenges in planning or solving problems. Changes in how they develop or follow a plan or work with numbers, recipes, keeping track of bills. They can have difficulty in concentrating for too long and taking longer than they use to to complete a task. Difficulty in balancing your bank account as we get older is normal. Difficulty remembering newly learned information.
Disorientation
With Alzheimer’s people can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may forget where they are or how they got there. Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later is normal with age.
Issues With Completing Familiar Tasks
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, work or leisure. Getting lost on familiar journeys or doing routine tasks at home or at work. Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a machinery you are familiar with. Or to record a television show is normal as you age.
Trouble Understanding Visual Images And Spatial Relationships
For some people, having vision problems such as have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining colour or contrast. This may cause problems with driving. Vision changes related to cataracts is normal.
Decreased Or Poor Judgment
They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean. Making a bad decision once in a while is normal ageing.
Changes To Mood And Personality.
Changes in mood and personality such as becoming confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted is normal as we age.
Misplacing Things
Misplacing things. Losing the ability to retrace steps. May put things in unusual places. They may accuse others of stealing. As well as having unfounded suspicions about family, friends, professionals and caregivers. Misplacing things from time to time and retracing steps to find them is normal.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal from work, social activities, hobbies. Plus keeping up with a favourite sports team may cause trouble. Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations is normal as we age.
Difficulty Speaking
Difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking as the disease progresses. The person may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name. Sometimes having trouble finding the right word is normal.
People with Alzheimer’s may find it hard to recognise they have a problem and signs may be more obvious to family members or friends first. Please seek advice and a diagnoses as soon as you suspect anything. Sometimes a medical condition may mimic dementia symptoms and these will clear up once you are treated.
7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
Knowing the different stages can help many families cope with the changes and get interventions more quickly. Remember these stages don’t always fall into neat boxes and the symptoms might vary.
Stage 1: Normal Outward Behaviour
They won’t have any symptoms that can spotted only a PET scan can reveal whether they have Alzheimer’s.
Stage 2: Very Mild Changes
They might not notice anything amiss in behaviour but there will be small differences. These may not be caught by their GP. These might include forgetting a word or misplacing objects. But doesn’t interfere with their abilities to work or live independently. It is important not panic at this stage as the symptoms might be a normal part of ageing but make sure to have them checked out.
Stage 3: Mild Decline
Family and friends might start to notice changes in thinking and reasoning such as:
- Forgets something they have just read
- Asks the same question over and over
- Has more and more trouble making plans or organising
- Can’t remember names when meeting new people
At this stage family and friends can help their loved one by supporting them with memory aids, helping them pay bills and get appointments, put their legal and financial affairs in order.
Stage 4: Moderate Decline
At this stage problems from stage 3 get more obvious and new issues arise.
- Forget details about themselves
- Have trouble putting the right date and amount on a cheque
- Forget what month or season it is
- Have trouble cooking meals or even ordering from a menu
Family can help with everyday chores and any safety issues, plus make sure they are not being taken advantage of or not driving any more.
Stage 5: Moderately Severe Decline
People with Alzheimer’s will start to lose track of where they are, what time it is, has trouble remembering their address, phone number or past events. Will also repeat themselves, forget details and facts. Family can help by laying out clothes to wear, listen patiently, use photo albums, family stories etc., to prompt memories and reassure them.
Stage 6: Severe Decline
At this stage they might recognise faces but forget names, mistaking one person for another. Delusions can cause confusion and they might need help with getting to the bathroom, talking etc. Alzheimer’s love hearing music, being read to, or looking over old photos so continue to use these to help them.
Stage 7: Very Severe Decline
Basic abilities, eating, walking, and sitting up, will have become a problem. Families can help by feeding them and making sure they drink enough as they are unable to tell if they are thirsty.
Looking After Yourself As A Carer
If you are a carer it is important that you look after yourself. Here are some basic tips to start with:
- Make sure you have a good basic self-care routine in place, which will include some of the following. Including some meditation, eating healthy meals and getting some exercise.
- Sleep: sleep is extremely important to our mental and physical health, if you are fatigued you will have trouble with memory.
- Make sure to have regular check-ups, we can forget to do this when we are looking after others.
- Reduce your stress levels, I’ve talked about how you can do this here
- Treat your mental health as well as you do your physical health, don’t let depression, anxiety etc., go on, we can become ill very quickly and more easily when we are looking after others. Talk to your doctor sooner rather than later if you are concerned as early treatment means a quicker recovery.
Further help can be found from:
Ireland https://alzheimer.ie/
UK https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/
Europe https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/
Canada https://alzheimer.ca/en/Home
New Zealand https://www.alzheimers.org.nz/
Australia https://www.dementia.org.au/
Work With Me.
Remember you are allowed to ask for support. No one is an island. If you need extra support then you can also work with me. We all struggle with stress and overwhelm from time to time. If you find this has become a problem for you and you’d like some support then schedule an appointment with me.
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