Alzheimer’s disease: What are the symptoms?

With an increasingly aging population, the number of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease is growing. Currently, nearly 15% of people that are 65 years old have it.

While the disease may not have a cure yet, there are still treatments that slow the disease down. In an effort to help you be on the lookout and understand how this disease evolves, we are sharing some symptoms that may become evident and eventually get worse.

Difficulty performing daily tasks: Common tasks like planning one’s day, cooking food or even paying bills can get complex.

Poor judgment: Those with Alzheimer’s disease lack judgment when it comes to making decisions. Take for example: unreasonable purchases, inappropriate clothing for a specific time of the year (summer in winter), etc.

Memory impairment: This is the most common symptom of the disease. Memory loss is the first sign to appear. However, it is important to note that memory loss is also related to a normal aging process. It’s important to distinguish between the two.

Difficulty with reasoning: In addition to memory impairment, the person affected by the disease will have difficulty processing thoughts. A seemingly simple mathematical calculation may become VERY complex.

Communication troubles: Finding the right words to express oneself and using the right sentences to make oneself understoodgets increasingly difficult. We are referring to words that part of every day language that will suddenly seem foreign to a person with Alzheimer’s. They will often try to use synonyms or invent words.

Other Alzheimer’s symptoms includetrouble with vision, spatial and temporal confusion and loss of interest in social activities.

If you think one of your loved ones is experiencing these symptoms, see a health professional as soon as possible with the person concerned. And if you need more information about Alzheimer’s disease, you can visit the Alzheimer Society Canada website.