New Alzheimer's Report

Some recent information from the website of the Alzheimer's Association http://www.alz.org/

• As many as 5.3 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s.
• Alzheimer's and dementia triple healthcare costs for Americans age 65 and older.
• Every 70 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s.
• Alzheimer's is the sixth-leading cause of death.
• The direct and indirect costs of Alzheimer's and other dementia to Medicare, Medicaid and businesses amount to more than $148 billion each year.

These are just a few of the facts in our new report, 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. The report is a comprehensive statistical abstract of U.S. data on Alzheimer’s disease that includes:
• prevalence
• mortality
• the costs of Alzheimer care
• caregiving
• a special report on Mild Cognitive Impairment and early-stage Alzheimer's

Memory loss that disrupts everyday life is not a typical part of aging. It may be a symptom of Alzheimer's, a fatal brain disease that gets worse over time and causes changes in thinking and reasoning skills. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in different degrees. Below is a list of significant changes that, if experienced, indicate a doctors appointment.

10 warning signs of Alzheimer's:

1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life
One of the most common signs of Alzheimer's, especially in the early stages, is forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; relying on memory aides (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.
What's typical? Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later.


2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.
What's typical? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.


3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
People with Alzheimer's often find it hard to complete daily tasks. Sometimes, people may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
What's typical? Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.


4. Confusion with time or place
People with Alzheimer's can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.
What's typical? Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.


5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer's. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast. In terms of perception, they may pass a mirror and think someone else is in the room. They may not realize they are the person in the mirror.
What's typical? Vision changes related to cataracts.




6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
People with Alzheimer's may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a "watch" a "hand-clock").
What's typical? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.


7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time.
What's typical? Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control.


8. Decreased or poor judgment
People with Alzheimer's may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean.
What's typical? Making a bad decision once in a while.


9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
A person with Alzheimer's may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.
What's typical? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.


10. Changes in mood and personality
The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer's can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.
What's typical? Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.



The difference between Alzheimer's and typical age-related changes

Signs of Alzheimer's versus Typical age-related changes

Poor judgment and decision making versus Making a bad decision once in a while

Inability to manage a budget versus Missing a monthly payment

Losing track of the date or the season versus Forgetting which day it is and remembering later

Difficulty having a conversation versus Sometimes forgetting which word to use

Misplacing things and being unable to
retrace steps to find them versus Losing things from time to time

As our population ages, the the prevalence of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia will increase and a great many of us will have the challenge of dealing with an Alzheimer's patient in our family. So it is important that we all become more aware of symptoms and the techniques for mitigating the effects.

Some of the things that have been demonstrated to maintain our brains are:

Mental Activity
Physical Activity
Proper Nutrition
Social Connectedness

Two websites that can be accessed to get information about Alzheimer's are http://www.alz.org/ and http://www.alzheimers.org/.

Tom Binder
Seniors Real Estate Specialist