How can you tell an elderly parent might have Alzheimer’s when forgetfulness is a normal part of aging?
“Alzheimer’s disease can often appear to be similar to normal signs of aging,” says Walter Gaman, MD, FABFM, board certified in family medicine and the author of several award-winning books including “Age to Perfection: How to Thrive to 100, Happy, Healthy, and Wise.”
“Memory lapses are not always of concern, especially when they are short term memory lapses, such as forgetting where they left the keys,” continues Dr. Gaman.
You Know Your Elderly Parent Might Have Alzheimer’s When…
“When a loved one forgets how to do normal functions like use the remote control, operate a camera or complete tasks they have been doing for years,” says Dr. Gaman.
This type of forgetfulness doesn’t always mean Alzheimer’s disease, but Dr. Gaman says it’s cause for concern and warrants an evaluation.
“Alzheimer’s patients can seem normal, but then suddenly get a ‘lost’ look on their face.
“It’s almost as if they checked out temporarily or seem to come and go with their attention.
“Someone who is old or forgetful may forget where they put their purse, while someone with Alzheimer’s may place their purse in the fridge or under the sink and then swear someone must have taken it.”
Inventing New Functions for Everyday Items
I’ll never forget the documentary on Alzheimer’s disease on TV years ago showing scenes from an actual patient’s life.
The patient, an older woman, was still capable of living at her house. She had used a plastic scooper to pour tea into a kettle.
She then put the scooper into the circular opening of the tin box of tea (the scooper portion just happened to fit inside the opening, with the handle resting on top of the box), then placed the box’s tin circular lid cover on top of the scooper and tried to seal it shut – not understanding why the contraption didn’t work.
This is not normal thinking for a typically forgetful elderly person. Neither is putting one’s socks on their arms — which actually happened with an elderly man with Alzheimer’s.
Normal forgetfulness might entail forgetting to turn off the tea kettle or put away the tea box.
“Early on, patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease may be aware that their memory is failing,” says Dr. Gaman.
“This is when they start making excuses, stop being as social or recruit their spouse to help cover for them.
“But, if it’s true Alzheimer’s disease it will continue to progress and their memory will fail, their hygiene or sense of style will change, and eventually they will not be able to carry a conversation or recognize the faces of those they are closest to.”
