So you are boomer age or older and like, Pam Peterson, the witty cabaret singer, you might be wondering if you are losing your mind, getting early Alzheimer’s, or…
So…How Can I Tell? What are the Signs?
Here is what Mayo Clinic, National Institutes of Health and leading Alzheimer’s organizations say are signs of “normal age related memory loss” versus the early signs of Alzheimer’s Disease.
| Signs of Alzheimer’s | “Normal Memory Loss” |
| 1) Memory Loss That Disrupts Daily Life…
*Asking for the same info over and over *Relying on a family member for things you used to handle yourself *Forgetting important dates or events |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Sometimes forgetting appointments but, remembering them later on |
| 2) Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks At Home, At Work Or At Leisure…
*Trouble driving to a familiar location, remembering the rules of a favorite game, managing a budget at work. |
Typical Age Related Change...
*Sometimes needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show |
| 3) Confusion With Time Or Place…
*Losing track of dates, seasons and the passage of time *Trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately *Forgetting where you are or how you got there |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Getting confused about the day of the week, but figuring it out later |
| 4) Trouble Understanding Visual Images And Spatial Relationships…
*You may have difficulty reading and judging distance *You may have trouble determining color or contrast *Perception, you may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room… not realizing that it is you in the mirror |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Vision changes related to cataracts |
| 5) New Problems With Words And Speaking…
*You have trouble following or joining a conversation *You may stop in the middle of conversation and have no idea how to continue *Or you may repeat yourself *You may have problems finding the right word Or call things by the wrong name (e.g.,calling a “watch” a “hand-clock”). |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Sometimes having trouble finding the right word |
| 6) Misplacing Things And Losing The Ability. To Retrace Steps…
*You may put things in unusual places *You may lose things and be unable to go back over your steps to find them again *Sometimes, you might accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control |
| 7) Decreased Or Poor Judgment…
*For example, in dealing with money, you may give large amounts to telemarketers *You may pay less attention to groom-ing or keeping yourself clean |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Making a bad decision once in a while |
| 8 ) Challenges In Planning Or Solving. Problems…
*You may experience changes in your ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers *You may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. You may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer than you did before |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook. |
| 9) Withdrawal From Work Or Social. Activities…
*You may start to remove yourself from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports *You may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby *You may also avoid being social because of the changes you have experienced |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations |
| 10) Changes In Mood And Personality…
*You can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious *You may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends. *Or in places you are out of your comfort zone |
Typical Age Related Change…
*Developing very specific ways of of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted |
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