Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

By Jonathan Parry

As most of us grow older, it's normal to fear the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Millions of people around the globe suffer from its affects daily and since it is a disease that is so closely associated with growing older, it's natural to think that it is going to happen to you, especially if you have a family history of Alzheimer's in your family. There are signs of Alzheimer's disease that you can watch out for.

The first and most well known symptom of Alzheimer's is memory loss. While most people associate Alzheimer's with people forgetting faces and names that they have known their entire lives, studies have shown that the earliest symptoms associated with Alzheimer's actually affects the short term memory first, before the long term memory.

So a more reliable sign of the onset of Alzheimer's is forgetting things that a person just learned over the past few minutes, hours or days, not things that they might have learned years ago and have had no trouble remembering. However its worth remembering that small amounts of memory loss are normal when growing older. Just because you may forget a name here or there or miss an appointment doesn't mean you have Alzheimer's.

A second sign that you or someone you love may be suffering from the early onset affects of Alzheimer's is having trouble doing basic tasks around the house or running errands that have never been a problem before. This can be one of the more frustrating parts of having Alzheimer's since there are so many things that we do every day that we take for granted without thinking about them as they've become second nature. Small things like putting a puzzle together, playing a game of cards with friends, making dinner, making the bed or a million other things may start to become a challenge as you forget the next step in the process.

Now, with old age does come the occasional forgetful moment where you may walk into another room to tell someone something and then forget why. This is normal. It happens to everyone at pretty much every age and has nothing at all to do with Alzheimer's. If this behaviour begins to happen frequently, however, and you see other symptoms show up, then it might be wise to book a doctor's appointment and talk it through with your physician. Continue reading to discover other early signs of Alzheimer's and sign up for the free newsletter on combating the effects of Alzheimer's disease below.

A final sign that you or someone you love might be developing Alzheimer's is the prevalence of broken speech patterns. If someone you love starts to change words and insert words that don't belong into sentences, making them hard to understand, than that might be a sign of Alzheimer's. Again, it must be stated that if you occasionally can't think of the right word when speaking, it's natural. You need to look for this to happen on a frequent basis, combined alongside some of the other symptoms previously mentioned before you can consider the onset of Alzheimer's being the cause.

If you are at all concerned about Alzheimer's the best thing you can do is arm yourself with knowledge to recognize the signs of Alzheimer's disease and make an appointment with your physician if you start to become concerned.

FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from Daily Health Bulletin and click the link now to discover simple steps you can take that help with treating alzheimer's disease and improve brain power.

More Resources

Alzheimer's Disease - Common Risk Factors


Overview of some of the common risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease, compiled by the manager of a Lexington nursing home specializing in Alzheimer's care.

Diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease: Changes in Daily Life


Getting diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease is one of the most life-changing and stressful things that can happen within the confines of a doctor's office. Most people believe that once you are diagnosed with Alzheimer's, it is an immediate death sentence, but that is not true. Alzheimer's comes in stages and while very advanced cases will require 24 hour medical attention and care from a trained nurse or helper, the early stages of the disease are quite manageable with only a few small changes in your life, which is why diagnosing alzheimer's early is key.

Alzheimer's Affects A Growing Segment Of Elderly Population


An updated review of the most common nervous system disorders in the United States found that 67 out of every 1,000 elderly Americans carries a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, a figure substantially higher than previous estimates. The findings were published in the January 30 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Do You Have Alzheimer's- or Normal Forgetfulness?


We all have moments when we forget something. When we experience occasional memory loss, how can we tell whether it's just normal forgetfulness due to aging, or if we are actually getting Alzheimer's disease? Here are some of the signs that will tell you when your memory loss is normal, and when you should get it checked out.

Learning How To Cope With Alzheimers Disease


Did you know that Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia? It is a condition that affects the neurological health of an afflicted patient and is a degenerative disease of the brain from which presently, there is no recovery with over 4 Million Americans suffering from this dementia. The illness is devastating and robs both the sufferer and also their family and friends of treasured moments. Alzheimers is equally one of the most emotionally draining and traumatic conditions for both sufferer and family alike.

Coping with Alzheimer's Disease


Many elderly people in nursing facilities have Alzheimer's disease. This disease causes the short term potion of the brain to shut down. Elderly people who have the disease may forget their children's names, but will remember events and people from their childhood.

Psychiatry for Physicians-Dementia - Dementia of Alzheimer's Type


Dementia is a part of the clinical presentation in Alzheimer's disease. It is a silent killer. A clear idea about it is important at least for early diagnosis.

Treating Alzheimer's Disease Naturally


Herbal medicine is one of the more controversial subjects in medical science today. Combine that with Alzheimer's, one of the most misunderstood and confusing illnesses and you have an explosive situation that has many concerned parties on both sides of the issue. There is no known cause for Alzheimer's and no known cure, either. Because of this huge gap in knowledge, treating alzheimer's naturally with herbal treatments has become a big market. With treatments making promises that conventional medicine can't.

New Gene Linked To Alzheimer's


Scientists have discovered a gene that may play an important role in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. The gene, called SORL1, was uncovered in a huge international study involving 6,000 people from varying ethnic groups. Dominican families that carry the gene are about three times more likely to develop Alzheimer's in old age than those who do not have the gene.

Alzheimer's Symptoms


Alzheimer's is a disease that affects the brain cells, it leads to dementia and a deterioration of the brain. This disease can be hard to diagnose, because it happens slowly and the symptoms are mild. The only symptom is a mild forgetfulness, for example, forgetting recent events, and a person name or being unable to solve simple problems.

Custom Search

More Alzheimer's Articles:

Related Articles

Loneliness Linked To Increased Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease


People who feel lonely may be twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease in their later years as those who feel they have a close network of friends and family, researchers report. The findings appeared in the Archives of General Psychiatry, a mental health journal from the American Medical Association.

Remembering Manuel...(Alzheimer's/dementia)


Heart-breaking is the only word I can use to describe Manuel, who was a patient the same time I was a patient, at the VA hospital in 2005. At the time, I knew nothing about dementia...that awful disease that takes away the mind, and leaves the person hopelessly in the dark!

Is It Alzheimer's Or Simple Forgetfulness? An Alzheimer's Definition


Find out the real Alzheimer's definition. Learn what to do if you or someone you know seems to have Alzheimer's.

Behavioral Manifestations of Alzheimer's Dementia


Alzheimer's Dementia has a combination of cognitive and behavioral manifestations. Cognitive impairment is the core problem which includes memory deficits and at least one of the following: aphasia or language problem, agnosia or problems with recognition, apraxia or motor activity problem, and impairment in executive functioning (e.g. planning, abstract reasoning, and organizing).

Understanding Alzheimer's


Alzheimer's disease is still an extremely controversial subject as there is no known cause and no known cure. But thanks to microscopes, laser scans and a multitude of other medical advances, there really is no controversy about what part of the body Alzheimer's affects, and that is the brain. Alzheimer's essentially causes a loss of brain tissue over time that starts with a person forgetting simple things and progresses to fully fledged dementia. The big question that everyone wants to know is what causes Alzheimer's and what can be done to prevent it?

Reduce Risk of Alzheimers - Play Chess


If there was ever a good reason to play chess it's this one, your brain's health. Mental activities like playing chess have been linked to reducing the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease and Dementia.

Identifying the Stages of Alzheimer's


Identifying the stages of Alzheimer's helps family members and friends in anticipating what changes to expect and how to prepare. Knowing what to expect, in some cases, helps to make the disease easier to deal with.

Supportive Information On Coping With The Signs And Symptoms Of Alzheimer's Disease


There's no doubt about it - if someone you love develops Alzheimer's disease, your lives will be changed forever. It's truly devastating to watch someone you love as they begin to lose their memory, and as the disease progresses, it also becomes a lot more difficult to care for that person. Let's take a look at a few basic ways in which you can cope more effectively as your loved develops Alzheimer's.

The Conditions Of Alzheimer's Dementia Explained


Alzheimers disease is fundamentally a form of mental disorder known as dementia. The disease is by far the most ever-present dementing illness of today with the more common form of Alzheimers disease known as late-onset Alzheimer's.

Are All Dementias Alzheimer's?


I'm surprised when some patients and caregivers confuse dementia and Alzheimer's as one and the same. Each time a family member is suffering from memory loss, the conclusion is always Alzheimer's. Is it reasonable to label all dementias as Alzheimer's?