Did you know 1 in 11 adults is experiencing subjective cognitive decline, which is associated with Alzheimer’s? Did you know 1 in 6 adults in Oregon are Caregivers?
Here are a few warning signs of Alzheimer’s, and Tips on Caring for someone showing these signs:
- Loss of initiative and interest in lifelong hobbies or ritual tasks. This could look like forgetting how to make a favorite meal or ignoring social obligations.
- What can you do? Help keep interest in a hobby by doing the planning for your loved one. Try to make the activity more fun by playing music they enjoy!
- Misplacing things and memory loss. This can be seen if there is a pattern of forgetting appointments, or putting regular objects in unusual places, like car keys in the refrigerator, or forgetting obligations and not remembering them later.
- What can you do? Help them write down To-Do lists, appointments, and events in an accessible calendar; create a system of reminders: try writing down important reminders on sticky notes and placing them in highly visible places.
- Change in personality. This can look like more extreme moods, especially feeling confusion, fear, or growing dependency on family or close friends.
- What can you do? Reduce distractions: turn off the tv to help them focus, create routines, and supply simple instructions for them to follow. These tips may help them feel safe and enable them to live as independently as possible.
Do you have any experience with caring for someone with Alzheimer’s? Have you found any helpful tricks for caring for them? We’d love to hear about your experience and share it with other caregivers!
For more warning signs and information, visit http://www.alzresearch.org/warning-signs.cfm.