It’s possible that in today’s fast-paced society, forgetfulness is a common occurrence. This situation, however, may, in certain circumstances, signal the beginning of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, which causes slow memory loss and cognitive decline. This World Alzheimer’s Day, let’s understand this disease better and create awareness about the same.
Understanding the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease is crucial for preventing the severity of the illness and reducing its impact on patients of all ages, especially the elderly.
We have done our best to present you with the most often encountered symptoms and early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. First, though, let’s take a moment to understand the significance of World Alzheimer’s Day.
Significance of World Alzheimer’s Day 2022
As awareness of Alzheimer’s disease grew, Alzheimer’s Disease International was established in 1984. Celebrating its tenth anniversary in 1994, the organization declared the first annual observance of World Alzheimer’s Day. They chose September 21 as the annual date to mark the occasion. However, the first annual World Alzheimer’s Month was observed in 2021.
Each year on September 21, people all around the world celebrate World Alzheimer’s Day. This day was created to educate the public about the condition, its most frequent symptoms, and the dangers it poses.
The whole month of September is recognized as World Alzheimer’s Month in several nations.
Understanding the Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a neurological disorder that causes cognitive decline. In addition, it makes it hard to solve problems and juggle many tasks at once. Neglecting to provide the necessary care and attention in a timely manner can cause a person’s behavior to change over time; many people, for example, develop concentration problems and become socially withdrawn as a result.
The slow degeneration and eventual death of brain cells are common symptoms of many chronic illnesses, especially in the elderly. This Alzheimer’s Day, let’s learn about its 10 early signs and symptoms.
Stages of Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease typically progresses through several stages, each with distinct cognitive and functional changes. These stages of Alzheimer’s disease are:
- Preclinical Stage: Changes in the brain occur before noticeable symptoms appear. There might be some mild cognitive impairment, but it’s not apparent in daily life.
- Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): Subtle memory problems become more noticeable, but individuals can still manage daily activities. Not everyone with MCI develops Alzheimer’s.
- Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: Memory and cognitive deficits become more pronounced. Individuals might struggle with tasks such as remembering recent events, finding the right words, and managing finances.
- Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease: Memory loss and cognitive decline worsen. Individuals may have difficulty recognizing loved ones, experience personality changes, and require assistance with daily tasks like dressing and bathing.
- Severe Alzheimer’s Disease: Individuals lose the ability to communicate coherently and require round-the-clock care. Basic functions like eating, walking, and even swallowing become challenging.
It’s important to note that the progression can vary among individuals, and not everyone experiences all these stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s
World Alzheimer’s Day is marked to spread awareness about the condition and watch out for the symptoms from an early stage. Dementias, such as Alzheimer’s, can cause memory loss severe enough to interfere with everyday functioning. Alzheimer’s, a degenerative disease of the brain, negatively affects memory, intelligence, and the ability to reason. There are several Alzheimer’s symptoms and indicators to look out for. Don’t dismiss them if you come across any of them. Make time for a visit to the doctor.
The following are the most common Alzheimer’s disease symptoms:
1. Life-Disrupting Memory Loss
In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease the person forgets new knowledge. Other symptoms include a reluctance to change routines and an increased reliance on memory aids (such as reminder notes or technological devices) or family members to perform tasks that were once accomplished independently, among others.
2. Problem-solving and Planning Difficulties
People with dementia may have trouble planning and following through on tasks or handling numbers. They can become confused when following a standard recipe or forget to pay a fee every month. They may be unable to focus for lengthy periods of time and find that even simple tasks now take considerably longer than they used to.
3. Problems Doing Routine Activities
Alzheimer’s patients sometimes struggle to do even the most basic of duties. There may be moments when individuals have problems doing things that used to be second nature to them, such as driving to a known area, making a grocery list, or remembering the rules of a beloved game.
4. Inability to Place or Identify the Time
Alzheimer’s patients may get confused about the date, season, and passage of time. For them, timing is everything, so it could be hard to grasp if something isn’t happening instantly. They could get lost or forget how they got there sometimes.
5. Difficulty Grasping Spatial Connections and Visual Pictures
Some people experience visual loss as an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. This may cause problems with reading or equilibrium. Additionally, they may have trouble with depth perception, color perception, and contrast enhancement – all of which might affect their ability to drive safely.
6. New difficulties with Words in Speech or Writing
Alzheimer’s patients may have difficulty keeping up or even engaging in a discussion. People with a speech impediment may pause in the middle of a sentence, be at a loss for words, or repeat themselves. They may have problems expressing themselves because of a lack of vocabulary, have trouble remembering proper nouns, or utilize incorrect nouns.
7. Inability to Keep Track
Alzheimer’s patients often rearrange their belongings or store them in unexpected spots. Things may go misplaced, and they wouldn’t be able to retrace their steps to find them. In the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease they may begin to falsely accuse others of theft.
8. Lacking Good Judgement
It’s possible that people’s faculties of judgment and decision-making may shift. This might manifest in a variety of ways such as a lack of fiscal restraint or unkempt personal hygiene.
9. Disengagement from a Job or Social Activities
The capacity to carry on or understand a conversation may change for someone with Alzheimer’s disease. This may cause him or her to pull away from previous interests, friendships, and commitments. The person may have problems keeping up with a group or a particular activity they enjoy.
10. Personality and Mood Swings
People with Alzheimer’s disease may undergo emotional and character shifts during the course of their disease. They may experience mental states such as perplexity, suspicion, depression, dread, and anxiety. When at home, around friends, or in an unfamiliar environment, they may experience irritability.
Alzheimer’s disease treatment
As of now there is no definitive Alzheimer’s disease treatment. However, there are treatments available that can help manage the symptoms and slow down the progression through various stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
The Alzheimer’s disease treatment mainly focuses on addressing cognitive and behavioral symptoms. Some such approaches used to manage the disease include –
- Medications prescribed to improve cognitive function and manage some behavioral symptoms.
- Behavioral interventions for cognitive training, reality orientation, and reminiscence therapy aimed at enhancing cognitive abilities and improving quality of life.
- Supportive care to create structured routines, clear instructions, and minimizing stressors can help manage behavioral symptoms.
- Healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, a balanced diet, social engagement, and mental stimulation for slowing disease progression.
In addition, researchers are continually exploring new Alzheimer’s disease treatment and interventions through clinical trials.
Conclusion
Recognizing what to do if you or someone you care about shows any Alzheimer’s symptoms might be challenging. Feeling apprehensive about telling others about these shifts you are facing is normal. Putting your health concerns into words may help you to accept them as “real”. Or you can be worried about hurting someone’s feelings if you mention that they’ve been showing signs of Alzheimer’s in certain areas such as their personality and daily tasks.
However, these serious health problems need a medical professional’s assessment and you should take the necessary steps to learn the cause. This World Alzheimer’s Day, let’s keep these aspects in mind for the sake of our loved ones.
