Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s

March 31, 2022

Early Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s

The number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease doubles every five years beyond age 65, reports the CDC. An early diagnosis can help you plan for the future and prevent your condition from getting worse.

Here are early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease that can alert you to when it’s time to see your doctor for treatment.

Losing or Misplacing Things

You may find yourself losing things more frequently or putting items in odd places. For example, you may place your car keys in the freezer or store your eyeglasses next to the laundry detergent. You may constantly have to retrace your steps to find items you’ve lost or misplaced.

Difficulty Doing Familiar Tasks

Alzheimer’s can often make the most familiar, routine tasks seem far more difficult than they were before. You may feel that shopping for groceries is significantly overwhelming, or that showering, getting dressed, and brushing your teeth take too much effort.

Vision Problems

Vision problems are commonly overlooked in Alzheimer’s disease, especially since vision impairment tends to become more prominent with aging. Changes in color vision are among the most common Alzheimer’s-related vision problems and can make tasks like driving more difficult.

Poor Decision Making

Alzheimer’s affects the part of the brain responsible for judgment and decision-making and can lead to poor choices and increased vulnerability. For example, you may find yourself being targeted by fraud or neglecting important responsibilities like attending doctor’s appointments and changing the oil in your vehicle.

Confusing Times and Places

You may experience difficulty with keeping track of dates, times, and places. For example, you may show up to Sunday’s church service on a Monday or arrive at a relative’s home when you meant to drive to the store. You may even confuse the current season with another and wear a heavy winter coat in the middle of summer.

Memory Loss

Memory loss is one of the top signs of Alzheimer’s. This can lead to a wide range of problems, such as forgetting conversations, the names of your loved ones, and where you live. In the beginning, you may forget only small details, but as time goes by, you may start forgetting larger, more important details the longer Alzheimer’s goes untreated.

Don’t ignore early warning signs of Alzheimer’s, even if you think your memory loss is a normal part of aging. Contact one of our many locations today to schedule an appointment and be screened and tested for Alzheimer’s disease.