Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness

November is National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are currently 5.7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s and 200,000 under the age of 65 who have younger-onset Alzheimer’s.  The former statistic is projected to more than double by the year 2050.  Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and makes up 60%-80% of general Dementia cases.

Here Are Several Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimers:

• Consistent memory loss on a daily basis
• Difficulty in general problem solving
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks
• Losing track of time, location, and general wellness
• Loss of depth perceptions
• Difficulty with speaking or writing
• Frequently misplacing items
• Decreased judgement
• Becoming reclusive or anti-social
• Personality change

Not everyone who is experiencing the onset of Alzheimer’s will experience all of these symptoms.  This aforementioned list is not a checkbox system, these are just the common early signs of Alzheimer’s disease.  If you think you or a loved one is experiencing these symptoms, don’t self diagnose or ignore them.  Although Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that can not currently be cured, there are treatments and proactive methods to ease the transition.  Schedule an appointment with your doctor so the cause can be diagnosed.  

Keep in mind that not every case of memory loss is attributed to Alzheimer’s.  There are many different causes of memory loss.

Differences between Alzheimer’s and typical age related changes: