I Am Forgetting Things, Do I have Alzheimer’s?
Many people worry about becoming forgetful. They think forgetfulness is the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. But not all people with memory problems have Alzheimer’s.
Other causes for memory problems can include aging, medical conditions, emotional problems, mild cognitive impairment, or another type of dementia.
Age-Related Memory Changes
Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. As people get older, changes occur in all parts of the body, including the brain. As a result, some people may notice that it takes longer to learn new things, they don’t remember information as well as they did, or they lose things like their glasses. These usually are signs of mild forgetfulness, not serious memory problems, like Alzheimer’s disease.
Differences Between Normal Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease
|
Normal Aging |
Alzheimer’s Disease |
|
Making a bad decision once in a while |
Making poor judgments and decisions a lot of the time |
|
Missing a monthly payment |
Problems taking care of monthly bills |
|
Forgetting which day it is and remembering it later |
Losing track of the date or time of year |
|
Sometimes forgetting which word to use |
Trouble having a conversation |
|
Losing things from time to time |
Misplacing things often and being unable to find them |
Memory Loss Related to Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions can cause serious memory problems. These problems should go away once a person gets treatment. Medical conditions that may cause memory problems include:
- Tumors, blood clots, or infections in the brain
- Some thyroid, kidney, or liver disorders
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Head injury, such as a concussion from a fall or accident
- Medication side effects
- Not eating enough healthy foods, or too few vitamins and minerals in a person’s body (like vitamin B12)
A doctor should treat serious medical conditions like these as soon as possible.
She founded Rather Be Home in 2014 after seeing the tribulations her friends were having with their aging parents. Hard decisions need to be made and no one knows where to go for help. Having lived with her grandparents most of her childhood and helping her grandma care for her grandpa it just seemed natural to open a home care business. Deidre is also a certified instructor for CPR/First Aid & AED through the American Red Cross and a State Tested Nurse Aide registered through the Ohio Department of Health. Currently she is undergoing classes to become a Certified Senior Advisor. She sets rigorous standards for her company as well as the caregivers she employs.
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