What if I Suspect a Loved One has Alzheimer ’s Disease?

                                                                                         

If you have researched the symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and suspect that a loved one is showing those symptoms, do what you can to have him or her evaluated by a physician who specializes in dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease, affecting patients more severely as time goes on. There is a degree of forgetfulness and other related symptoms that are a normal part of aging, so your loved one may be healthy and aging naturally, or may be experiencing another condition or form of dementia that is not Alzheimer’s disease. Or, he or she may simply be having a reaction to a medication. Therefore, if you suspect that an elderly loved one is exhibiting changed behavior and lessened cognitive function, it is important for you to be educated about the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease so you may see that he or she obtains medical testing to determine the cause of the changes. Identifying possible symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease early and consulting a dementia specialist can lead to the patient obtaining appropriate medications or other treatments that may ease the symptoms of the disease.

Additionally, accompanying your loved one to the appointment and discussing his or her symptoms with the doctor can be extremely beneficial. The important points to observe and communicate to the doctor relate to the onset of the symptoms and the specific changes that have taken place. You may want to write down the symptoms in advance along with when you noticed them, so that your discussions with the physician will be accurate and you will not forget to mention key information to the doctor. If you have other family members who are close to the patient, noting their experiences with the patient can also help. Since there is not yet a definitive diagnosis procedure for the disease until after death, doctors use a combination of patient evaluation and tests to diagnose probable Alzheimer’s disease. A few important questions to ask yourself and possibly others who know the patient follow:

-What changes in behavior have I noticed, and when did I start noticing these changes?
-Have there been changes in the patient’s overall attitude? For example, has he or she become nervous, anxious, or depressed? Did a particular event align with these changes?
-Have there been marked changes in the person’s routine, and does the patient seem to be neglecting common responsibilities that he or she used to take care of, such as mail or bills?
-Is my loved one having difficulty communicating his or her thoughts effectively? Does he or she forget or confuse words when talking, or speak less clearly than before?
-Has the patient shown changes in decision making abilities?
-What medications is the patient taking (over the counter and prescription), and are they taken as directed?

Compiling accurate information about your loved one’s behavior to present to the doctor can help the doctor determine what types of tests to perform. Be sure to include any specific examples or instances you recall related to the questions above, and be as accurate as possible when estimating the time frame in which events and changes took place.

Finally, do not be alarmed and jump to conclusions about your loved one’s condition before your doctor performs a thorough evaluation, because there could be another explanation for the changes.

About the author:
About the Author: John Trevey is the manager of The Breckinridge, a Lexington nursing home specializing in Alzheimer's care. For more information, please visit www.thebreckinridge.com

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