House calls

Published: Thursday, May 31, 2001

Q: My grandmother has been very forgetful lately. What are the signs of Alzheimer's?

A: The question of what constitutes normal memory loss vs. pathological memory loss is a key issue in recognizing Alzheimer's disease.

If the memory loss is such that it starts to interfere with daily functioning, then it is cause for concern. If the person denies any knowledge of a recent event such as going to church or seeing a doctor, then the memory loss is likely pathological.

Furthermore, the memory loss in Alzheimer's disease is progressive, becoming worse over months and years. More benign forgetfulness is not progressive. There is a saying that if a person simply forgets where the car keys are, that's benign forgetfulness. If the person forgets what the car keys are for, then it possibly could be Alzheimer's.

Some other symptoms include the inability to use words correctly, work with figures, solve problems and use reasoning and judgment skills. Also common in Alzheimer's victims are changes in mood and personality.

Source: Covenant Center for Outpatient Diabetes


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