10 Early Signs

Everyone forgets a phone number or the last name of an acquaintance from time to time. But they usually remember it later on. In Alzheimer's disease, though, people tend to:

• forget things more often than usual – especially things that have happened most recently
• repeat things over and over again, sometimes in the same conversation
• have difficulty remembering how to do things they have done all of their lives, like following a recipe or writing a letter

It's normal to get caught up in the day-to-day and do things like forgetting to take lunch to work. But in Alzheimer's disease, people often:

• are less able to plan, problem solve, organize and think logically
• find it increasingly difficult to perform routine tasks such as paying bills or dressing appropriately for the weather
• have problems with money and math

Anyone can lose their train of thought or have trouble finding the right word, but people with Alzheimer’s disease might:

• substitute words or forget simple terms for things, and their sentences can become difficult to understand
• make up words or stop talking to avoid mistakes
• have trouble following or understanding a conversation
• have increasing difficulty understanding books, newspapers and other reading material

We all can forget where we're headed or the date for a minute or two. With Alzheimer's disease, people can:

• become disoriented – even in familiar places, like their own neighbourhood
• forget what day, month or year it is

While anyone can leave the house in a coat that's not warm enough, impaired judgment affects people with Alzheimer's disease. They might, for instance:

• wear light clothing on a very cold day
• not realize when they have an injury that requires a doctor's attention

Sometimes people have difficulty balancing their cheque book, but someone with Alzheimer's disease:

• experiences problems with abstract thought such as looking forward to a future event
• might not know what the numbers in the cheque book mean at all

While it's normal to misplace your car keys or your gym shoes, someone with Alzheimer's disease might:

• misplace things by placing them in strange places (like putting a book in the fridge or keys in the sugar bowl)

While anyone can become moody, a person with Alzheimer's disease can:

• suffer mood swings with no apparent reason – so they may go from calm to anger to tears without knowing why
• exhibit repetitive behaviour

Our personalities have many different facets, and that’s normal. But an individual living with Alzheimer’s disease might:

• act out of character
• appear fearful for no apparent reason
• become apathetic, confused or suspicious
• withdraw from people and social situations

It’s not always easy to motivate yourself to do things like mow the lawn on a hot day. But a person with Alzheimer’s disease might:

• become very passive
• require prompting or cues to become involved in anything from social activities to housework
• defer to others and become increasingly unable to make decisions
• avoid change and have trouble concentrating and learning new things