Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease in Greensboro

Did you know that Alzheimer’s begins 20 years or more before memory loss or other symptoms begin?

September is World Alzheimer’s Month. A time to educate ourselves more about the disease that impacts over 55 million people globally.

Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia

A lot of people may confuse Alzheimer’s and dementia, and do not know the difference between the two. Dementia is a broad term for a specific group of symptoms. Those symptoms are the result of changes in the brain. Many different conditions can cause symptoms of dementia. Typical symptoms include memory loss, difficulty with language, problem-solving, concentration issues, trouble expressing thoughts, confusion, and impulsivity.

Alzheimer’s is one of the conditions that may cause dementia symptoms. With Alzheimer’s, the brain accumulates an excessive amount of protein fragments and an abnormal form of a certain protein. Brains may also become inflamed and experience a decreased ability to use glucose, which is the brain’s main fuel. When tests show that brain changes are due to Alzheimer’s, individuals are diagnosed with dementia due to Alzheimer’s.

Early Signs or Regular Aging?

There are many early signs of Alzheimer’s and dementia. However, many of these will also occur naturally as we age. If you are concerned that you or a loved one is experiencing one or some of these, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Memory loss – this is one of the most common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. This includes forgetting recently learned information, asking the same questions over and over, and relying more and more on memory aids. As you age, you may also sometimes struggle with names or scheduled appointments but remember them later.

Challenges with problem-solving – you may experience changes in your ability to work with numbers, follow a recipe, or keep track of bills. In contrast, a typical age-related change would be making the occasional error when managing your finances.

Confusion with time or place – another common symptom is losing track of dates, seasons, or the passing of time. You may also forget where you are and/or how you got there. Whereas with regular aging, you may get confused about the day of the week, but figure it out a little bit later.

Misplacing things – sometimes you may put household items in unusual places and forget where they are. You may also lose things and be unable to retrace your steps. Normal aging would include misplacing things occasionally, but being able to retrace your steps to find them.

We Can Help

At Griswold Home Care for Greensboro, we offer many care services, including services tailored to those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Our Caregivers can reintroduce themselves when they arrive, prepare meals that accommodate struggles with utensils, stimulate short-term memory through cognitive activities, interact with them in their version of reality, help them recall a life well-lived, and more. Give us a call today to learn more! We’d be happy to chat about our care options and can help put together a personalized care plan just for you.