5 Signs of Alzheimer's That Sometimes Show up Before Memory Loss

Yes my father is showing all these signs of an ageing brain. He often tells me his memory is getting much worse. He is 95 yo and not on any medication. Goes shopping for groceries, washes the dishes and eats what my mother cooks for him. He is socially less active because all his friends are dead. Repeats his advice to me that "you are what you eat".

This list is so helpful and true. My husband had all of these, and I didnt know what was wrong. He has since been diagnosed with Early-onset. I wish I had known these symptoms.

I am 20 years old and i can relate to every one of these, Some more then others And more symptoms i have read relating to memory loss. I am half way through my 2nd pregnancy and have had depression from a young age. Can anyone tell me who i need to talk to about my memory and who could help me? It is causing a lot of struggle within my partner. Any advice ? Please..

I am not going to make this. A ring for mom at home. I just can't do it and I feel guilty. I am 58 and sick as well..I just can't...

Mother diagnosed with vascular dementia about 3 years ago so wanting to prepare myself. She is now 81 and very alert so consider we are both pretty lucky. However the signs are beginning to show. She has forgetten that her 3 daughters have booked her in to see Rod Stewart this month as a birthday treat with us all but she booked a trip abroad as didn't remember any of the discussions and arrangements about staying in her house etc.

it helped me to notice symptoms in future referrence

Very handy, I can particularly relate #5. Its so very true

Teepa Snow has terrific DVDs or online about the beginning, middle and late stages. I saw her DVD and recognized things that Mom did years ago. She works with patients and caregivers teaching them how to interact. She's terrific.

I feel this is extremely well written . . . and detailed . May God bless you . mlharvilleusa

Recognising these signs well, in particular #5 Social Withdrawal. It does not make it good for the Carer

I'm at an age when this is vitally important for me and for those around me...to detect changes that may indicate early signs of dementia. Early treatment is important and can often stave off more severe symptoms...at least for a time. Thank you for this information.

My mom and my mother-in-law have a couple of the signs, so now I'll pay closer attention to them to see if they get worse. Thanks for the tips.

Peple often ask me, using one word, what is my secret to get to 96 where I am now. I tell them that if I am limited to one word exercise is the most important thing you can do. And I've been doing that since I was 40, (That's 54 years ago.!) Of course, it's simplistic to say that nothing more is involved. There are many variables in play as you age, sole beyond your control. It would be simplistic to say also, statisically that exercise is the only variable. (However,) out of 10 children in my family, all except me, died of some disease .... alzheimer's (4), dementia (2), parkingsons (1), heart attack (1), kidney failue (1), accident (1) and stroke.(1). (I've included my parents.) My brother died at 98 having suffered a stroke and dementia. He and I are the only ones who made it into the 90s. I am the only one who used exercise and nutritional supplements in the course of living for over 70 years. You can draw our own conclusions about heredity and other factors.

I am an avid reader of your well-researched and written reports. However, could you append a list of your sources? Thanks.

It should be emphasized that these are symptoms that can develop very early in the progression of Alzheimer's -- but these symptoms CANNOT be used to diagnose Alzheimer's nor does it mean that you or your loved one has Alzheimer's just because one or more of these symptoms are present. Many different conditions can cause them. What is very useful about this article (thank you, Paula) is that so very many people -- many doctors included -- think that short term memory loss is the first symptom to emerge. In fact, many other symptoms, such as those described in the article, can and often do emerge first or at the same time as memory loss. One early symptom that is very common and should be emphasized is difficulty handling finances.

It is good to have confirmation of the early signs of a potential problem.

I see Mom in almost all of these items.

You left out the loss of the sense of smell. Apparently that's been recently identified as another warning sign. My husband is in the moderate stage of A's D now, but his sense of smell all but vanished a decade and a half ago, which corresponds to the time that his secretary at the office had to be carefully chosen to keep him focused and remind him of appointments etc. Anecdotal, but true.

The article also describes many of the symptoms of Dementia with Lewy Bodies, the second most common form of dementia, after Alzheimer's. A person with DLB, also called LBD, Lewy Body Dementia, has periods of fluctuating symptoms. Sometimes, they can be 'sharp as a tack' and other times, almost totally confused. Hallucinations may also be present. Sleep problems too. For more info, go to the Lewy Body Dementia Association website, www.lbda.org. There is a good book on Amazon, The Caregivers Guide to Lewy Body Dementia.

My problem is knowing that some of the characteristics of Alzheimer's are manifest in me or not. I'm 85 1/2 and am writing my 4th book [fiction], Isn't it common to sometimes have a memory lapse of names etc? I live alone, have a dog, drive a van, read a lot, do my own thing including maintenance on my mobile and do all my own meals. Like your column. Roger.

Confirming what I have been seeing in my husband's behavior patterns.

It often is difficult to admit to somebody jkust why you have or are withdrawing socially;yet I admit it is true. Why embarass yourself, especially when you formerly were seen as a social leader or as an extrovert ?

Absolutely amazing...I have all of the above. For sometime now, I've wondered and even discussed it with my Psychologist, but he didn't seem concerned. I think I'll take the article with me tomorrow and let him read it just to get his opinion.

DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS FACT......THANKS

I'm 71 years old and live alone. I've researched my family history looking for dementia, or other diseases with symptoms that resemble Alzheimer's. I've found no evidence at all, but several antecedents were described as somewhat "crazy". Several of these I've attributed to other of their predilections, like excessive alcoholism. Since I'm not the latest example of the "town drunk", I think I'm doing OK, so far... But I keep reading, and thinking about it. RobtheElder

As I look back on my husband's last few years, he is about 6 or 7 years into dementia. Some of the happenings around that time seemed out of person for him. Now I believe it was the beginning, and I did not recognize it nor did I know what to look for. However, I did mention to our Dr. some of the things he was doing and he noted it, but did not seem too concerned. Now he sees the advancement and the changes.

I've had all those symptoms since the age of 20, 42 years ago. So far, so good!

Very pleasant to see that I don't have any of them YET!! I am 87. Shirley

I was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment 12/17/12 and at that time was forgetting things and talking backwards. Today I am needing someone to go places with me, forgetting to take medications, names, places and whether I have eaten.

the part about wrong word is true-such as"the white stuff" for salt"black stuff" for pepper

It is a very good alert about Alzheimer´s symptoms,normally we focus only on memory loss

Thank you for these tips , honesty I dont think my mom has any these, she has admitted she depressed, she just want get away from the bad memories, there have been a lot, her boyfriend in the 90's killed himself weeks before they was supposed marry, weeks after we found out he had cancer too, she loved this man, he treated her like gold, they hardly was apart , it was to me a Godsend he come into her and our lives , he was agood man, he loved my mom Ibelieve if ican get her to pennsvanila, where she could be near our family, she may come out of this depression,and if its more , GOD FORBID, THEN i will need my family,do you agree, please advise, thank you, GOD BLESS US, ALLOF YOU HERE TOO,♡♥♡♥♡ Like no one, she had to very bad marriagies before, my father and the 2nd one very cruel and abusive to her, but when she got with him, a light seem tocome on inside her, I never seen before or after thekind of joy she had with him,

I was diagnosed with alzheimer's years ago.... none of the listed signs apply for me ..... and haven't seen my doctor in well over a year. Really don't know why she's not available.

My grandmother and mom had dementia. Three other siblings of 9 also had it. My sis and I get concerned about ourselves of course. My main symptom is words not coming our correctly..If I want to say contract, concentrate may come out. But I hear that is the wrong word and eventually correct it..Is that dementia? My husband says I have "mean" reactions sometimes like my mom did. I don't tell him that after 48 years of marriage, I am no longer concerned that we might divorce and when he is aggravating me, I just sometimes let it fly as I never did when we were younger.He had such control issues back then and now that he is retired he is stuck to my side...I lost my independence til I joined a sewing group. It is changing my life. All us ladies are dealing with memory problems or relatives with dementia..I highly recommend joining a group that meets every week with a purpose to perform. It gives you perspective and support. To have a friend, be one. I remember what it was like caring for mom for years before she died. Blessings to all.

I read this article over again today and I want to thank you so much for it. I think it is so important to get this part of this dreaded illness out for people so that it will help them come to terms with it . ~ IT IS BETTER TO BE INFORMED. I know dementia and Alzheimer's is a very difficult illness to discuss. But, it's probably the most Important one to learn all you can about. My feelings about it is , even though it is very scary to think you may get it , or, already see signs that it is happening , it is still better to know that the change is , just that , an illness and that you the person, or your loved one , Has NOT , turned into a mean and hateful , spiteful person . But ,is only Reacting to changes they don't understand . This article will open up hearts and give a peace that will make them be so thankful they new what is happening to the one they love, and will give them the ability to help in ways that they couldn't have before ,because of not knowing for sure what is going on with them. I just hope everyone that find's this article will be sure to read it completely and not just do a fast scan of it. I thank you again for such important insight into this complex illness.

This was a very helpful article for me .It helped to explain a lot about my moms personality changes before she passed away. and now, the changes I see in my sister and myself with our personality changing the last couple of years. I think deep down I did know, but I 'am afraid to think about it .It is scary for me to think about my memory getting worse ,but , I think what scares me the most is , of becoming to difficult to reason with me.I think after reading this it was good for me. It helped me to realize and accept I can't change what will happen to me . but , It's good now that I read this, I have time now to do some things that are important to me and do things too that will make it easier for those caring for me...Like getting my home in order by clearing out clutter and giving things I cherished to those I love and taking that burden off them.and then , the most important thing I want to do while I still can is sit down and write a letter to each of my love ones, to thank them for being in my life and caring for me .and to tell them what I most admired about them through the years. Thank you for this article .

all

My mother had this and its all true she wa nicest persom u wanted meet and got miserble with people and then never left the house

I didn't know that vision problems can be a harbinger of AD.

kNOWING THESE PROBLEM AND RELATING TO TO THEM TO DETEMINE IF I HAVE THE BEGINNING SIGNS, AS IT NAGS AT ME CONSTANTLY - WONDERING IF MY DAILY ACTIONS OR LACK OF MATCH UP. I PREFER TO KNOW IN ADVANCE SO I CAN PLAN AHEAD FOR MY FUTURE.

these articles are so succinct, thanks.

Dr. Scott always gives a wealth of information that is exactly what is needed.

This is scarey for everyone to know and understand and I love alone with my pet cats. I do talk to my doctor about different stages of life when that subject is brougjt up. I wish there could be a cure soon for this horrible disease. Rita

I realise now that my step-mother had Alzheimer's for years before it was diagnosed by the doctor. I also realise that my 96 year old father has not got the disease, despite being 10 years older than his wife, because he only has the short term memory loss and none of the other symptoms i.e. his personality hasn't changed, he reads avidly and his comprehension is good.

I have, more than once, looked back over the past few years and realized that this Alz. thing has been going on for quite a while. My husband has early on-set Alzheimers; when he started withdrawing from our friends, I couldn't figure out why. He loved to cook but suddenly could no longer plan a meal; I just thought he was tired of cooking. After all, I get tired of cooking too! Did not realize the vision might be affected. However, I remember more than once when he was still driving that I would have to tell him the light had changed or I would wonder why he stopped so far from the car in front of us. Fortunately, most of the time he still has his great sense of humor.

I'm afraid I must agree with JPHawke's comments. This article is far too general. I've always heard that while Alzheimer's is a form of dementia, not all dementia is a form of Alzheimer's. Certainly there are other websites and articles to check that are specific to Alzheimer's symptoms, but when you title an article, "5 Signs of Alzheimer's..." you should actually make a point to list them.

I have an uncle with dementia and I deal with depression/bipolar disorder. I'm concerned if my depression can lead to dementia over time. I see a counselor but she's not a good listener and does most of the talking. I'm on my fifth counselor in four years. I'm also concerned over the lack of sleep which has been a problem for a few months. I've just changed my meds to a higher dosage of Geodon and slept pretty good last night. I still sleep most of the morning until I finally get up at Noon to start my day. I'm going to start going to bed earlier at 9PM and see if that helps. Hope so...

The most helpful to me was the conversational tone of the author. Nobody (I hope) thought that it was written by a clinician. The scope of the problem was well developed also, making it seem like a need to be more diligent when taking care of elders/those affected.

JPHawke, Thanks for sharing your comments and question. We've passed your criticism of the article along to our Editorial team for consideration. More information in response to your question about Alzheimer's symptoms can be found here: http://www.caring.com/articles/alzheimers-symptoms Please also discuss this condition with your doctor(s). Also, as a friendly reminder, here are the guidelines for site comments and participation on Caring.com: http://www.caring.com/about/community_guidelines.html Please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team if you have any questions about these site policies, or have any additional information needs for Alzheimer's and memory loss. Thanks!

Is an increase in nasal discharge an Alzheimers symptom?

At my age, this could mean an awful lot. This arIicle takes a load off and gives you something to think about when watching out for yourself and your loved ones.

Come on now, this material is outdated and way to general. You have much better information to share with Alzheimer's patients and their loved ones. Let's get the most current information out to all of us that need it. No more "picture stick" like information. We need the best and most current information available and you should be the most trusted source!

My husband has short term memory loss and I need to learn all I can about dementia. Thank you.

Great job and info was helpful.

All of these "symptoms" are generalized signs of aging. Thanks for scaring the crap out of so many people who have these "symptoms" and will retain their faculty's with no dementia.

I've disagreed with the diagnosis since the beginning. I may be a bit slow at some things due to my epilepsy 56 years ago... That's life, not alzheimer's !!! There are many things I question.....

This article is spot on. As we look back at the signs, unaware of them at the time, but now fully assured that my mom presented all of these symptoms for the past eight or nine years prior to a sudden realization, when my dad became hospitalized for a long period, that mom could not function at home on her own. Partly denial on the part of the extended family I suppose, and also mostly my dad compensating for my mom's symptoms so they were unrecognizable to us. It definitely helps to talk with friends and others about any concerns you have about changes in your loved ones. Caring.com has been an excellent resource for me, as well.

This article is well-written. It has made me understand that my late husband was having symptoms of Alzheimers long before he developed memory problems. He was forgetting words, and he seemed very clumsy when he had to fix anything in the house. He was always a genius at fixing things! Also, he did have an extreme case of withdrawing socially. He became very depressed, and refused to go outside, unless it was to a doctor. He lost interest in me and his children and grandchildren. He also became very demanding, argumentative, and angry. Finally, before he passed away, I could not understand his speech. Thank you for this article! Looking back, I now see that it was the disease "Talking",and not the sweet person I married!

joe'ncharlotte, you touch my heart...a true love you share with charlotte. How tragic for you to face ALZ, but how very lucky she is to have you by her side. I too agonized over my mom never being able to be in her home again. Over the course of the disease I learned that home to her was us together, where she felt loved & safe, not the physical house she could no longer recognize or remember. So, cuddle her and touch her day & night wherever she is. Death awaits us all, until then she is still with you. You can reach her and calm her now. My love & prayers to you for the strength & insight to be there for her always. BJ

These are warnings which we might not focus on if we were unaware of them.

It will be very helpful to people whose loved one is in early stages of dementia, and for those who know someone with dementia and don't really understand it. So many people have the idea it's just memory loss, and don't understand the impact on every aspect of cognitive ability. I wish all doctors had to read this article. It was such an ordeal to get Greg referred for an evaluation with a neurologist. It took 18 months of listing events such as these before I could convince his internist that something was wrong. I began to think if I heard "well, he seems fine to me" one more time, I would scream.

Several of these symptoms have been presented by my 92 yr. old Aunt for quite some time ie, family members have stopped coming by to help or even call. I thought these were symtoms of old age. She now exhibits severe dementia but these symptons started much ealier

Thank you for the information you provided.

The language problems bit has relevance to me. I'll keep a watch on it to see if it gets worse, then try and see a doctor

The general discussion was helpful. Out of focus comments like "picture stick" and all of the old and odd coments should be trashed! Let's stay in-touch, professional, sensitive and have our minds and eyes open for opportunities to improve life for those of us with this physiological afflection.

all of these signs yep!

My mother had alzheimer, we didn't realize she was in stage two. I didn't know about the early symptom of alzheimer, Its good to know the facts about this terrible disease.

Thanks for the comments everyone! @anonymous, You'll find a variety of information about addressing loneliness with older adults here: http://www.caring.com/search?query=senior+loneliness&x=0&y=0 I hope this is helpful to you.

I have early onset Alzheimer's in my family and am very concerned. i have seen some unusual changes in myself and worry about it. Most people, including my doctor, blame it on a stressful job, but I know when my body is changing. This reinforces those concerns. i have something to share with my neurologist, along with tests i am going for. THANK YOU!

Now that I read these 5 symptoms, they have refreshed my memory of what my mom was doing quite a while before diagnoses. I believe that early signs are very important for family members who might recognise that something is wrong. If there are new symptoms available, they should be given to the public.

Loneliness, is a major problem with many seniors, which I have discovered since my husband's death in 2003. So what do you suggest for someone like me and many others, who are experiencing that loneliness is far worse; than many medical conditions? I serve on several committees so do keep busy. However, being a widow with no family in Canada, makes me feel isolated. I am very conscious about my appearance and am always complemented on how I look and especially how I dress. Unfortunately, that can sometimes act as a deterrent for invitation; like those to the homes of my married girl friends. I do not go to bars nor other such-like places with my single friends; other than to the theatre, symphony, cinema, or to any fund raising social event; such as Variety-The Children's Charity, plus other organizations. So if anyone out there knows a man in his late 60's or early 70's plus; who is cultured, classy, well-educated and unattached, please let me know. I am a slim 5'5" who weighs 170 lbs. I am also English so have a "funny" accent. I have lived in Canada for many years. My son and step-daughter both live in the United States. So what medical category does "loneliness" come under?

I have Alzheimers disease and suggest that some of your materials needs to be up-dated. For example, "Picture Stick", some of these terms date back to the "Dark Ages" of Azheimers symptoms.

all of it was helpful to me.

seeing the "signs" allowed me to better evaluate whether or not I had an issue/problem

My mom has ALL these symptoms & I need time away from her but I CANNOT 'cuz I have 3 cats & she does NOT care about them to feed & water them & I have NO one who can help me. I am at my thread's end in my daily stress. I wrote last night, "My midlife crisis is mom's broken, jimmy-rigged life." Yesterday she denied her SocWorker's entrance to her home RE Medical DPoA = Why I need time away... I CANNOT WITNESS MY MOM'S SLOW DEATH!!! I have NEVER known stress as I am going through right now.

Fear of a disease is over whelming to ones sprint for living. I think sometimes it is facing us and we want to pretend the symptoms are not there. It is good to be aware and look at appropriate resources but do not forget to live your life fully in the meantime My mother had the disease and we found outstanding care for her in Oregon. Fortunately my sister lived there. We had to move my mother from Ohio. We had three elderly family members to care for at the same time. Fortunately our family worked as a team and left out the tension of different opinions. Hind sight is very clear but when you are in the cycle a compassion listening ear is helpful. Thanks for sharing. .

A simple approach to understanding issues which our loved ones are facing.

Very interesting, I know for a fact that Dad would sometimes call certain items in the house different names like a fridge would become a freezer' the cooker, would be an oven and the carpet named a rug! This would have been when he was much younger and you definitely couldn't correct him either so if I did there would be a good few arguements about this, but we'd laugh about it later. Mind you right up until we'd got the assessment for the condition he was making very odd judgements about things and he couldn't say things correctly and this was noticed on his very last visit to his homeland in Antigua, and the rest of his family really realized that something very wrong. And it still took us 18mnths of getting sorted out. A pretty and sad state of affairs.

No 4 has often applied to me for some years so we have to be careful about using the 'one size fits all' here.

It's amazing how clear things can look, in retrospect.....why are we so blind at the time???

I think this article was helpful, but more details would have been better.

My father had all of these symptoms - he was diagnosed at 65 and passed away at 72. The average length of time between diagnosis and death is 7 years. My mother cared for him (ALONE) as they had moved out of state several years earlier, and I could not help her. We finally had no choice but to put my father in an assisted living home, which was so very difficult and yet a blessing at the same time. This disease will take every bit of strength, courage, energy, hope, faith, time, love, stamina, money, patience, sacrifice & dignity that a caregiver can muster. I will forever be in awe of my mother for the outstanding care she provided for my father in his final years. I know he will be waiting in heaven with open arms for his angel on earth!! I love you so much Dad & Mom

good intro to early changes. Referral to more indepth information would be good. The article gets your attention. I can recognize the signs that my mother was on that slippery slope. All were there. Now to teach my kids what to watch for in me.

sounds like everyone i know

We all forget things as we get older but this was very helpful because it names some of the things to keep a lookout for if you are concerned. My father was diagnosed with alzheimers. My mother never forgot anything so I guess my chances are maybe 50% good.

which is worse? AZ or Cancer? they are both terrible ways to die from.

That is good to know that there are signs to watch for before we actually forget everything.

this article is very thought out and is what was happening to my husband with died just 4 months ago.......these symptoms were seen in some ways for years before he got the full fledge disease and then it was devastating. a very cruel - ugly disease for both person having it and spouse and family dealing with it. God Bless them.

My Dad had alzheimers when he passed away in 1985. whole lot was not known about all of these 1st symptoms, but as I read them I see more and more of the way my beloved Dad was in the beginningoof this terrible disease.

It is very informative. Thank you for the wonderful article!

since we can't actually accurately diagnose alzheimer's just from any kind of appearance of any of these "symptoms", what IS the point of this article? it's totally spurious and you guys know better. shame on you! the latest studies show a 50 percent error rating in the diagnosis of alzheimer's by an actual dignostic center, so how are you helping anyone with all this nonsense? i am a dementia caregiver, for over 2o years and the author of the newly published "Speaking Dementia" by Frena Gray-Davidson. On amazon, your readers can download a loaner e-copy for free

needs to be specific, symptoms are applicable for what range of age?

Suzanne is now in early late stage, but this article rang a bell. Before she was diagnosed she began to have trouble with double vision..She would see two red lights or two people where there was only one.... The brain was not merging the two images her two eyes were sending to her brain... Prism lens solved the problem for her then, but of course didn't remove the underlying problem....

When my father's mother died in the middle 1920's she had memory problems. My father died in 1964, at the age of 70, and he had Alzheimer's. The doctor said he had harding of the arteries. Now they were call it Alzheimers. My father had all the symptoms written above. My sister died in 2010 at the age of 85 with Alzheimer's. She began to have memory problems in 2000. I forget words, and where I put things. I did a test for a medicne study and I passed the test because I did not draw a house as it should have been. I will be 73 years old in Oct.

i haveall these symetes hell i can't even spell i need help please send money

I wish I had read this 6 months ago. How effective are the Alzheimer drugs that are available? Some connection on the site to "next steps" or communication with physicians would have been great.

I am very familiar with so many of the symptoms in this article. I spent the last five years of my mother's life with her as she went through her changes. We had quality time together and I will never regret the friendship we shared. She never fully knew me as her daughter, I was her best friend. She became the little girl and I was the Mommie. I spent my time comforting and doing everything in my power to make every day a special day for her. She passed away a few days from her 89th birthday.

After reading #1 - rain drops of warm tears eolled over my cheeks. The love of my life 48 yrs yesterday is in the severe late stage of AZ. This is the first article I have read that seemed to scream out the truth - behavioral/personality changes are precursors to memory loss, Primary care physcian was asked to consider peculiar behaviors in my spouse severl years before memory loss was apparent. The only thought the dr. had was hysteria but they never spend more than 10 min with a pt. We were at the point of divorce as she was never satisfied with shoes, shampoos, foods and was impossible to please as almost 3 yrs passed. Called police and made crazy acusations. One day she was lost and fire dpt sent her to hospital where she tested 17/30. Finally I knew she had AZ, something that never crossed my mind because she could mask her inadequacies much like a politician. Well, we celebrated our 48th Anniv. and I have cared for her full time for the last 4.6 yrs. Thanks for this article, the first that need to be brought to the attention of all primary care physcians, medical 1st responders police/domestic violence, etc.,

Dealing with my father illness at the moment....

Thankyou for everyone's support!! I was her caretaker for 5 years & she left. Her medical conditions effected her clear thinking & things would have gotten better. I've spent over a year finding my Spiritual Relationship with /god who after everyone is Gone; He is there to somehow assist us find the strength to repair the marriage or let it go. We are Catholic's. Get it...Thanks

Realizing there is more to getting Alzheimer's than just becoming forgetful.

I found the article to be interesting and also helpful. I have a friend, who has been diagnosed as "Pre-Dementia." Now I know what to look for. Thanks.

This article is very informative and helpful, but the symptoms may be caused by another disease and not Alzheimer's. Since these symptoms are likely to appear before an accurate diagnosis, they should be taken as warning sign that something is not normal, not as a flag that it IS Alzheimer's. In order to be healthy longer, simple things like reducing stress and increasing exercise can make a huge difference! If you'd like to learn more about what steps you can take to maximize your memory go to www.alzheimersprevention.org

joe'ncharlot­te, i'm so sorry that you have to take this step. it's so painful. do please be sure to join a support group for caregivers. you are still your wife's caregiver and , at least half the people, if not more, are exactly in your position and may have wisdom to share which might help. now you have others to help do what one person alone just can't. give your wife whatever you want to of your time and take her out as well, if you can both do that. first catch up on your sleep, get grief support and begin to look at how you can let more worthwhile things for yourself back into your life. it comes little by little as you rebuild, never easy, but really worth doing. many blessings for you both.

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Earlly signs with specific examples.

i'm not sure how helpful it is to pull symptoms from such a wide range of coverage and then claim these are all signs of alzheimer's. for one thing, it's time to catch up with current studies which indicate that 50 percent of alzheimer's diagnoses are actually inaccurate (see articles on this very site!) a number of these five signs may apply to an extremely wide range of medical or health issues or even be normal age-related issues. i dont know anyone over 55 who does not have the loss of proper noun issue -- can't remember the name of that women, that movie, that book. the development of dementia is serious. normal age-related memory issues not at all serious, just normal. alzheimer's is already so horribly demonized that people are in terror of it and, worse, attribute any kind of difficulty to it. that obscures real issues than need real intervention. half the so-called alzheimer's issues raised on this site, for example, are serious mental health issues like untreated schizophrenia which families are trying to regard as alzheimer's. the falling and tripping issue raised here is much more likely to be Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) than alzheimer's or even dementia. it's really time to stop hanging everything on alzheimer's (when anyway most of alzheimer's is not actually alzheimer's, as forensic autopsies are now revealing) and creating the continuing climate of terror around that condition.

Suzanne fell in bathroom at night; fractured four ribs; was in hospital for a week and then 18 days of rehab trying to regain some mobility. I recognize that this has become too much for me alone so she will move into an alzheimer care unit for long-term care. I feel so bad about this. She will never be in her home again - no more cuddles or touches in the night. It's like a death but with no funeral or closure. She will feel abandoned and knowing that, hurts so badly. I would love to receive your suggestions. How can I help her in her adjustment and how can I come to terms with the loss of my loved one. I know it's for the best; I know she is safer with professional care near --- but nobody has told my heart.......

is someone monitoring the comments here? the first two seem nonsensical and could be confusing to someone who is really seeking help. just a thought. that said, i found the body of this article very helpful and informative.

I feel this article is VERY helpful & informative in nature . My wive has all five symotoms , but her social skills are somewhat intact J H