7 Missed Signs of Early Onset Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the leading ailments that the elderly live with in America. Many people who currently suffer from the disease have improved their lives with the help of Memory Care communities.

Before making the decision to move into Assisted Living, it is important to know the signs of Alzheimer’s before the disorder becomes intrusive. Here are 7 signs of the disease that usually go unnoticed among family members.

1.   Repeatedly Asking About Current Events

This isn’t in reference to current events in the news. If your loved one begins to ask a lot of questions about events that just happened to them, they may be having difficulty with short-term memory. This is often a warning sign that gets chalked up to the excuse of “old age.”

2.   Losing Track of Time

Much like the current events issue, pay attention to how well your loved one keeps track of time. Are they able to remember important dates? Are they able to distinguish a change in seasons?

Remember, when dealing with neurological disorders, anything outside of the now is not going to be remembered.

3.   Out of Ordinary Mood Swings

You know your loved one best, so you will be able to determine if any of their actions seem out of character. When it comes to Alzheimer’s one of the most commonly ignored symptoms is mood swings and agitation.

If you notice that your loved one may seem on edge or is constantly pacing the room, has detailed fixations, etc. then, scheduling an appointment to have them examined by their physician should be your top priority.

4.   Issues With Day-To-Day Tasks

Remember, growing older does not necessarily mean that your quality of life decreases. People living with Alzheimer’s tend to have difficulties performing day-to-day activities like:

• Cooking for themselves
• Dressing themselves
• Driving around town
• Paying bills on time

5.   Decline in Decision-Making

Poor life decisions in the elderly tend to be a result of Alzheimer’s or other types of memory care issues. If any of the previous signs have begun to pop-up in your loved one’s life, keep track of their bank account.

People with Alzheimer’s may make poor financial choices like spending money frivolously, giving their money away, or signing up for expensive and unnecessary subscriptions.

6.   Difficulty in Conversation

Much like other memory loss issues, your loved one with Alzheimer’s will begin to have trouble keeping up with conversations. Signs of this include:

• Forgetting common words
• Repeating phrases or words
• Simply detaching from the conversation
• Calling things by their wrong names

7.   Social Withdrawal

If your loved one is usually outgoing and has resorted to retreating away from social events or failing to keep up with their hobbies, this is also an overlooked sign of onset Alzheimer’s.

Consider Cornerstone Communities for an Improved Quality of Life

If you have noticed any of the above signs in your loved one’s actions, now may be a time to start considering a little extra help. Our Cornerstone Senior Living communities specialize in caring for a range of health issues among the elderly. Contact us today to schedule a visit to one of our communities.