How To Detect Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

Living to a ripe old age is everyone's daily prayer, but who wants to live to an old age where they can't remember anything? Alzheimer's disease is one of the illnesses that comes in the dimmer years of adulthood. Here we'll take a look at how to detect the signs of Alzheimer's so that old age is not something you enter with fear.

The symptoms of Alzheimer's can differ from one person to the other. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause for dementia, but certain medications and therapy can help manage symptoms temporarily. One of the first symptoms of Alzheimer's is declining memory. As time progresses, there is a decline in non-memory aspects of cognition such as finding the right word, impaired reasoning of judgment, movement and having trouble understanding visual images. 

Contrary to popular belief, Alzheimer's disease can be detected in a person as early as the 30’s. It is classified as early-onset Alzheimer's, and this particular diagnosis is usually rare. The frequent diagnosis is the late-onset variety this is when the symptoms appear in their mid 60s or later.

The three stages of Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's Disease clinically progresses in several stages. 

• Preclinical
• Mild (sometimes called early stage)
• Moderate
• Severe (sometimes called late stage)

Preclinical:

The Preclinical stage begins long before any symptoms of Alzheimer's become apparent. You can only identify symptoms in this stage through research or through clinical trials. this is because ongoing trials are looking at whether treating people with preclinical Alzheimer's may suspend the emergence of symptoms.

This stage of Alzheimer's can last for years and possibly even decades and you will not notice any changes in your body. However, a genetic test can also tell you if you have a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease but these tests are not recommended for everyone so you and your health care provider can discuss whether genetic testing might be helpful for you. 

Mild (sometimes called early stage):

In mild Alzheimer's disease the person may seem relatively healthy, but it gradually dawns on the person, their family and doctors that something is significantly wrong with their memory and thinking as the symptoms impact daily functioning.

In this stage, the patient may experience:

• Memory loss of recent events. Individuals may have a hard time remembering newly learned information. They may ask the same question over and over or forget important dates and events. This goes beyond typical age-related forgetfulness and can be alarming for both the individual and their loved ones.
• Trouble with problem-solving, complex tasks and sound judgments. Planning a family event, cooking a favorite recipe or following a known route may become overwhelming. Many people experience lapses in judgment and these challenges often stem from cognitive decline and affects their capacity to effectively plan and coordinate activities.
• Changes in personality. People may become subdued or withdrawn, especially in socially challenging situations. They may be irritable or angry when that's not typical for them. Reduced motivation to complete tasks also is common.
• Getting lost or misplacing belongings. Individuals have increasing trouble finding their way around, even in familiar places. It's also common to lose or misplace things, including valuable items.

Moderate:

During the moderate stage of Alzheimer's disease, the patient grows more confused. In this stage more intensive supervision and care become necessary. They begin to need more help with daily activities and self-care.

Symptoms of this stage may include.

• Poor judgment and deepening confusion. Individuals lose track of where they are, the day of the week or the season. They may confuse family members or close friends with one another or mistake strangers for family. Hey may wander and become lost, even in familiar places. This behavior can pose serious safety risks and highlights the need for close supervision
• Experience even greater memory loss. People may forget details of their personal history, such as their address, phone number or where they attended school. They repeat favorite stories or make up stories to fill gaps in memory.
• Need help with basic daily activities. They may need help choosing proper clothing for the occasion or the weather. People in this stage also may need assistance with bathing, grooming, using the bathroom and other self-care. Some may occasionally lose control of their bladder or bowel movements.
• Significant changes in personality and behavior. It's not unusual for people in the moderate dementia stage to develop unfounded suspicions. For example, they might become convinced that friends, family or professional caregivers are stealing from them. Or they may accuse a spouse of having an affair. Others may see or hear things that aren't really there. Individuals often grow restless or agitated, especially late in the day. Some people may have outbursts of aggressive physical behavior.

Severe (sometimes called the late stage):

In this late stage, the mental function of the patient continues to decline, and the disease has an impact on communication and physical movement. In this stage, nothing can be done to salvage the patient's situation because they are at the end of life and the person is mostly in bed as their body shuts down.

Symptoms include: 

• No awareness of surroundings 
•  Weight loss with loss of appetite 
•  Difficulty in swallowing
•  Inability to communicate
• Loss of bowel and bladder control 
•  General physical decline

Currently there's no cure for Alzheimer's disease but there are medicines that have been tested and approved that may help treat and maintain the disease. If a person is at the early stage, changes can be made to the home environment and daily activities to help the patient manage their changes and thinking.