Alzheimer’s disease: A common disease among older Americans

It is important that people know the signs of Alzheimer’s disease in older people, said Youmasu Siewe, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service health education and family development specialist.

“Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive degenerative brain disease that causes more than simple forgetfulness,” he said. “It may start with slight memory loss and confusion and eventually lead to irreversible mental impairment that wipes out a person’s ability to remember, reason, learn and imagine. The causes of this disease are poorly understood, but it is known to damage and kill brain cells.”

Siewe said common signs of Alzheimer’s disease may include:

-         Increasing and persistent forgetfulness. At the onset of Alzheimer’s people may experience periods of forgetfulness, especially of recent events or simple directions. What begins as slight forgetfulness will mildly worsen and they may repeat things and forget conversations or appointments. They routinely misplace things and often put them in irrational locations. People may forget names and eventually forget the names of family members and everyday objects.

-         Difficulties with abstract thinking.  Those with Alzheimer’s may at onset have trouble balancing their checkbook, resulting in a problem with recognizing and dealing with numbers.

-         Trouble finding the right word. People with Alzheimer’s disease may have difficulties finding the right words to express thoughts or feelings, and even following conversations may become a challenge.

-         Disorientation. Loosing a sense of time and dates and finding themselves lost in familiar surroundings often happens with Alzheimer’s disease victims.

-         Loss of judgment. Solving everyday problems becomes increasingly difficult and eventually impossible. In time, people with advanced Alzheimer’s may forget how to do even the most basic things.

-         Difficulty performing familiar tasks. Tasks that were once routine, such as cooking, become a struggle as the disease progresses. Such tasks eventually become impossible for those in the advanced stages of the disease.

-         Personality changes. People with the disease may experience mood swings. They may express distrust in others, show increased stubbornness and withdraw socially. During the early stages, this may be a response to the frustration they feel as they notice uncontrollable changes in their memory. Depression often coexists with Alzheimer’s disease. Restlessness is a common sign.
 

The stages of the disease’s course vary from person to person. Eight years is the average length of time from diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease until death. Survival begins to decline three years after diagnosis, but some may live more than a decade with the disease.

“Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease can be delayed because symptoms progress slowly. People developing the condition may be aware of their problems, but keep them hidden and refuse to see a doctor,” Siewe said. “This results in families even failing to see what is going on. Sooner or later, the signs and symptoms become too obvious to miss and those closest to the person often realize that similar but less severe difficulties have been present for years.”

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Katie L. Reim
Communication Specialist
OSU Agricultural Communication Services
140 Agriculture North
Stillwater, Ok 74078
405-744-6792 (Phone)
405-744-5739 (Fax)
katie.reim@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating: The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.