10 Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

One of the most common warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss that disrupts your daily life. This can come in the form of forgetting where you put your keys or forgetting important dates and/or events in your calendar. If you notice this is starting to occur more frequently, give your doctor a call.

Working with numbers may become difficult. You also may notice that it becomes difficult to follow a set plan or routine, even if you have been following it for a long time.

You or your loved one may begin to experience difficulty concentrating. Daily tasks may require more critical thinking as the disease progresses. If you find yourself getting lost while driving familiar routes, it’s time to see your doctor.

Two common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are losing track of dates or losing track of time. You may also notice that you or your loved ones are forgetting where they are, why they are there or how they got there.

You or a loved one may begin to have problems judging distance and determining contrast or colour when driving. This can be dangerous for not only you or your loved one, but for everyone on the road. However much you want to keep your independence, this warrants a trip to the doctor and then possibly to the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario.

You may find that you begin to have difficulty finding your words when engaging in conversation. You may lose your train of thought mid-sentence, or repeat what you’ve already said over again. Some seniors with Alzheimer’s disease find that initiating a conversation is a daunting task.

Lost your keys again? If you find yourself misplacing common items you use every day with no recollection of where you put them, you may want to discuss this with a medical professional.

This may manifest as what seems to be “irresponsible” financial choices, such as donating large sums of money to telemarketers or door-to-door salespeople. However, in reality, these decisions are made without fully understanding the repercussions.

You or your loved ones may also become less concerned with personal hygiene. Bathing and personal care may lessen over time, and you or your loved one may become unwilling to change clothes if you forget that you put them on yesterday.

As symptoms begin to appear, you may notice yourself or your loved ones feeling withdrawn from activities that were once enjoyable. You may begin to pull away from work, social activities or friends due to changes that are occurring. Rather than ignoring this change, speak to someone about it as there is help available.

Someone with Alzheimer’s disease may begin to feel confused, suspicious, paranoid or fearful. These emotions are a common reaction to the changes that are occurring. You or your loved one may also begin to feel anxious or depressed. It is important to contact your doctor if you are noticing these changes.