Vim & Vigor - Spring 2017 - Parrish Medical Center - 43

Q
Q

You've been running on empty this
week, and you've missed a lunch
date with an old friend. You had it
written down in your calendar, but you
didn't remember it until she called to
ask where you were.
Is it: Everyday forgetfulness or a sign
of Alzheimer's disease?

Your dad has always been warm
and jovial. But lately, he's been
snapping at people and even
swearing at loved ones.
Is it: Alzheimer's or a change with age?

FORGETFULNESS. Everyone forgets
once in a while. What's key here is that
you remember making the date.
"For the person with Alzheimer's, it
might be the memory of making that
engagement is lost. They might say, 'No,
you've made a mistake,'" Drew says.

COULD BE ALZHEIMER'S. Although
people can change, it's not typical for
someone's personality to drastically
shift simply as a result of aging. Big differences in personality can sometimes
be a symptom of Alzheimer's.
"Maybe someone who was always
very warm and gregarious and vivacious
pulls back and becomes more withdrawn. Or maybe someone has an edge
or is more demanding; maybe he uses
language he didn't use before," Drew
says. "Various parts of the brain can be
affected with a disease like Alzheimer's."

Q

Q

A friend has been taking care of his
ailing mother. He's exhausted and
too overwhelmed to eat well. He's
misplaced his keys and his cellphone this
week alone.
Is it: Stress taking its toll or dementia?
STRESS. One way to know for sure,
Drew says, is to see whether things
change after your friend gets back to
a pattern of healthy sleep and nutritious eating.
"When the stressors pass, and you've
had time to regroup and renew and get
some sleep and you know you're getting
good nutrition, and you continue to have
these persistent memory issues," that
is when it's probably wise to consult a
doctor, Drew says.

It's busy at work, and you've been
living on granola bars and coffee.
Lately, you've been leaving your
keys at the coffee shop and a trail of
documents all over the office.
Is it: A vitamin deficiency or a sign
of dementia?
BETTER CHECK YOUR VITAMIN B12
LEVELS. "Nutrition and hydration are
super important, and vitamin B12 is one
of those nutrients that when it's missing, it's hard for us to function very well.
If people are missing B12, they may be
showing signs of forgetfulness and confusion," Drew says.
It's easy to tell whether vitamins
are causing memory issues. After getting sufficient B12, you'll snap back to

normal. If you give B12 to someone
with dementia or Alzheimer's, however,
the memory problems will persist.

Q

Your aunt is often scattered, but this
week you notice she has put the ice
cream away in the cabinet with the
dishes. When she saw it later, she had no
memory of putting the ice cream away.
Is it: Alzheimer's or absentmindedness?
IT COULD BE ALZHEIMER'S.
When forgetfulness or memory issues
move from what seems typical to
more unusual, it might be a sign of
dementia, Drew says. If someone can't
retrace her steps to find an item or has
no recollection of doing something,
for example, long-term memory issues
may be at play. n

QUIZ

Understand
Alzheimer's
How well do you know
this degenerative disease?
Take a short quiz about
Alzheimer's at alz.org/
alzheimers_disease_
nadm_quiz.asp.

SPRING 2017

43
http://alz.org/alzheimers_disease_nadm_quiz.asp http://alz.org/alzheimers_disease_nadm_quiz.asp http://alz.org/alzheimers_disease_nadm_quiz.asp
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