We can all get forgetful. You leave a house key down for a minute then tear the home down it suddenly seems not to be placed in the usual drawer or key location.
So are you starting to feel you are losing your mind - quite literally? In the early stages it can be difficult to detect as people manage to cover it up well. You can start to lose track as each day passes and begin to have this feeling of disorientation.
Disorientation is very common in Alzheimers disease. It's also noted as one of the defining early symptoms.Little things and it's usually so gradually it's not noticed for weeks or months by family or friends. Also when you are hitting middle age or retirement, memory has faded a little so you ignore these episodes of forgetting.
An Alzheimer's sufferer may look around their home puzzled as they are not sure where they are. They will forget your name or birthdays.
It's usually the more distant things that tend to disappear first . It might be the part of the date of someone's birthday.
Gradually the symptoms of Alzheimers disease will become more pronounced, they will forget the correct month or time of year, then they will be unsure of the days of the week or what their own name is. Eventually memory loss will become so poor a person will live in a constant state of disorientation and confusion.
Getting lost outside the home is a problem usually towards the later stages of the illness. There are many stories told of people who travel to a home they lived in 30 years or so previously.
This is because their short term memory is dysfunctional, and been replaced with their long term memories. They no longer remember they moved from that house so many years ago.
Alzheimers disease in the later stages can pose extra problems for those people for whom English for instance is a second language. People who suffer with Alzheimers disease often lose the ability to speak or understand others speaking in their adopted language. This can of course cause further communication problems .
Eventually even their ability to read, write and converse is lost and the Alzheimers sufferer retreats into their own little world.
Daily stress and poor sleep or insomnia can impair your memory, though that in itself does not imply some form of dementia.If you have serious concerns, visit your doctor for further investigation.
-------------------------
For more related information visit: http://www.1st-for-manhealth.com/alzheimers - this site offers advice for people coping with Alzheimers. Get professional knowledge on dealing with symptoms, drug side effects and improving your life!
Christopher Ruane
-------------------------