As we age, we often experience some memory loss. As with any other organ, the brain experiences some degeneration. However, not all memory loss can be attributed to age. If memory loss begins to disrupt your daily life, it may be a sign that you have Alzheimer's disease. This deadly condition destroys the neural pathways and begins to cause the brain to degenerate.
Forgetting Information
The first red flag is memory loss involving information the patient knows. This can include forgetting important dates, relying on memory aids, or asking for the same information repeatedly.
Familiar Tasks, Forgetting Events
An Alzheimer's sufferer has problems doing tasks that he's used to doing every day. This may include getting lost when driving to a familiar area or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
People with Alzheimer's lose track of time, dates and seasons. They may show a lack of understanding about an event that isn't immediately happening. Often, they are confused as to how they came to arrive at a location or where that location is.
Conversation, Misplacing Problems
Often, a person with Alzheimer's has problems with following or joining a conversation. She may repeat herself several times without realizing it. She may begin to call familiar items by different names.
Someone with this disease may begin to place items in unusual places. If she misplaces things, she loses the ability to retrace her steps. Sometimes, this is accompanied with an accusation of stealing.
Trouble With Visual Images
Although not everyone is affected this way, some people may experience vision problems. This can be manifested by problems with reading, not recognizing the colors of things, and problems with special distances.
Decreased Judgment
Sufferers of this disease can have a loss of judgment and poor decision-making. This can manifest itself as an inability to manage money and lowered grooming standards.
Challenges in Solving Problems
Numbers can become difficult to work with as Alzheimer's progresses. Math or following simple recipes becomes increasingly difficult. Also, people with Alzheimer's have problems formulating and completing plans.
Withdrawal and Changes in Mood or Personality
Alzheimer's patients may begin to increasingly be absent from work or other social gatherings. They might begin to have problems following a familiar sports team or forget the steps involved in a hobby. They may begin to withdraw due to embarrassment from the changes they have experienced.
Finally, the demeanor of an Alzheimer's patient can change. He can become confused, depressed, fearful or anxious. He can get easily upset when out of his regular element.
