Alzheimer’s disease affects about six million of the population in America. In due time, it causes damage to the brain and is one of the main causes of dementia. Early signs of memory loss in older people can be linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. However, not all memory problems are directly related to them. Some form of memory loss is normal in the aging process but if it begins to disrupt your family member’s daily life or affect their thinking and reasoning abilities, it might be time to get a doctor’s diagnosis. Getting early appropriate treatment and care for Alzheimer’s is of paramount importance. Here are some early signs of memory loss that we should not ignore.
Warning Signs and Symptoms
If your loved one has been forgetful lately, you should not worry overly much since their absentmindedness might not even be related to dementia. There are a few signs and symptoms that should accompany poor memory before you should be concerned. In addition to memory loss, do they also experience the following problems?
Problems with Communicating with Others
A pre-dementia symptom to look out for is when your loved one begins to have difficulty communicating with others. They may find it challenge to express themselves and often cannot find the right words to explain what they want to convey. Hence, conversations with your loved one may take longer than usual to complete.
If your loved one has problems following the conversation thread, or keeps asking questions they have and repeating what they have already said, you should take notice and probably speak to them about going to the doctor.
Changes in Mood
Mood changes are typical with patients with dementia. Those with dementia may not see these changes in themselves, but if you notice that your loved one has not been feeling like themselves, you should pay heed. Are they moodier than usual? Do they seem depressed or overly anxious? With the shifting of moods, you may also begin to see personality changes. For example, where once outgoing, your loved one suddenly retreats into themselves.
Losing Interest or Lack of Enthusiasm
People may develop a feeling of apathy in the early stages of dementia. For instance, they may lose the drive to do the things that they used to enjoy doing. If your loved one who enjoys playing the piano suddenly goes nowhere near it recently, you might like to find out the reason for this change.
Mental Confusion
Confusion is also one of the early signs of memory loss that is a cause for concern. If your loved one cannot remember recent events or the people they have just met, or does not recognize landmarks and gets lost as a result, it might be time to address their memory loss issues.
Get the Best Memory Care at Discovery Village At Tampa Palms
If your loved one or family member has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and is in need of reliable memory care, do consider letting them move into our memory care community. Memory care is our secure community for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s and our SHINE® Memory Care curriculum has gained national recognition for excellence in memory care. Under the dedicated care of our professional team, your loved ones are in the best of hands! To learn more about our memory care program, reach out to us today!
