Why is it Important to Get a Diagnosis for Alzheimer’s disease?
Posted by Mary Baum, Program Director, Concord Park Memory Support Neighborhood on 5 June 2008 | 40 Comments
Tags:
Alzheimer's disease,
diagnosis,
symptoms
According to The Alzheimer’s Association, every 71 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and a recent study predicted that 1 in every 8 baby boomers - or 10 million Americans - will develop the disease.
What is the difference between Alzheimer's and normal age-related memory changes?
Minor changes in memory are a normal part of aging. We may forget some things but are usually able to recall them later. Normal aging involves adapting to changes in our memory and recall by using lists or notes as gentle reminders. Most of us will retain the ability to care for ourselves and maintain our household with minor help as we age. This is not the case with Alzheimer’s disease.
Sometimes people confuse the symptoms of dementia with Alzheimer’s disease. The term dementia is not well understood. Dementia refers to changes in cognition and executive functioning. Dementia in and of itself is not a diagnosis but a symptom of something else. There are many health-related problems that can cause memory loss and changes in intellectual abilities including stroke, vitamin deficiencies, depression, thyroid problems, drug interactions and depression, as well as illnesses such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease. Often the symptoms of dementia that result from these health issues are treatable and reversible with a physician’s care.
What are the common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease?
- Forgetting an entire experience that is rarely able to be recalled later
- Gradual losses in the ability to follow written or spoken directions
- The inability to handle complex tasks such as paying bills and balancing a check book
- Changes in reasoning and judgment
- Word-finding difficulties and confusion about time and place
- Losing and/or hiding things on a regular basis
- Behavioral and personality changes
What can I do?
If you are concerned that a family member, or perhaps even yourself, is experiencing significant changes in memory, it is time to visit the doctor as soon as possible to undergo diagnostic testing. Alzheimer’s disease is a diagnosis of exclusion; other causes must be ruled out first. If the diagnosis is Alzheimer’s, you can involve your loved one in decision-making and long-range planning while he or she is in the early stages of the disease. An Alzheimer’s diagnosis will have a profound impact on the individual and on the family system as a whole. The earlier the diagnosis, the earlier that treatment and planning options can begin to manage the symptoms of the disease. Lifestyle changes, diet and medications can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and its impact on both the mind and body.
Information leads to lessened anxieties, a better chance of benefiting from treatment modalities, and time to make important choices that will maximize your family member’s quality of life. Predictable routines are the key to successfully managing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. A structured environment found in an Adult Day Health Program or a Memory Support Neighborhood such as ours offers seniors the support to retain abilities for as long as possible. There are many resources available today to help your family navigate the difficult journey of memory loss.
Publications:
Learning to Speak Alzheimer’s, by Joanne Koenig Coste
Online Resources:
The Alzheimer's Association
Senior Living Residences Memory Support
