What kinds of behaviors should you expect from a loved one who has just been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's disease?
Symptoms Mild Dementia/Early Stage Alzheimer's disease
- Diminished short-term memory
- Misplacing belongings in odd places; losing valuable belongings, like wallet or purse
- Difficulty finding the right word: "Tip of the tongue" syndrome
- Person seems "not himself" and shows uncharacteristic behaviors
- Lapses in judgment
- Difficulty with mental arithmetic and handling money
- Disorientation in unfamiliar places or situations
- May become apathetic or withdrawn, avoiding social situations
- More difficulty with routine tasks at work or at home, or may take longer to complete tasks
- Irritation or anger in response to increasing memory lapses
- Asks the same question repeatedly within the same conversation
- Puts car keys away in refrigerator
- Unable to recall word for "car" and then says in frustration, "The thing you drive to work in."
- A normally shy person becomes uncharacteristically outgoing or talkative at a family gathering
- Agrees to buy services or products he/she doesn't need from telephone sales person
- Finds it difficult to balance checkbook or figure out correct amount of money to pay for an item while shopping
- Forgets to eat, skips meals, or eats the same food every meal
Learn more about Alzheimer's and dementia, visit The Alzheimer's Reading Room Knowledge Base
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