10 early signs of Alzheimer's disease in yourself and others you shouldn't ignore
Around one in three people in the UK will develop dementia in their lifetimes - but while there's currently no cure for the disease, there are treatments that can help manage symptoms. It has prompted an ER doctor to share 10 early signs of of Alzheimer's disease that you might recognise either in yourself or in a loved one.
Dr Joe, who is known as @drjoe_md on TikTok, has taken to social media to urge people to seek a diagnosis if they're worried about their health. He starts: "If you're worried about mum or dad, here's 10 early signs of Alzheimer's disease you should know about. Number one - memory loss that disrupts daily life such as repeated questions, forgetting information that you recently learnt, or increased reliance on reminders to remember things."
He also says those who struggle with plans and problem-solving tasks, such a struggling to keep up with bill payments or being unable to follow a cooking recipe, might want to speak to their doctor as this can be a sign of early Alzheimer's disease.
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He added: "Number three - difficulty completing familiar tasks such as driving to a location they've visited numerous times or organising a grocery list. Number four - confusion with time and place. They may not understand something if it's not happening immediately or they may forget where they are or what they're doing there."
Highlighting another sign, he spoke about people having trouble understanding visual images and special relationships. He says this can show itself when driving due to depth perception, balance problems, as well as issues with reading.
He said: "Number six - new problems with words in speaking or writing. They can have trouble joining in on a conversation or understanding a conversation. They stop talking half way through when they're speaking because they don't know how to finish that conversation.
"Number seven - misplacing things and they can't retrace their steps to figure it out. Often they'll place things in odd areas such as the TV remote in the fridge and sometimes they'll accuse people of stealing because in their mind they can't believe that it's in the fridge."
He says having poor judgement is another sign of Alzheimer's disease as well as withdrawing from work or social activities. He said: "Number 10 - changes in mood or personality. This can be one of the most disturbing because sometimes it's grandma who has always been known to be sweet and loving but suddenly she's cursing out the grandchildren."
While you can get Alzheimer's disease at any age, it's most common in people over the age of 65. An NHS statement reads: "The risk of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia increases with age, affecting an estimated 1 in 14 people over the age of 65 and 1 in every 6 people over the age of 80.
But around 1 in every 13 people with Alzheimer's disease are under the age of 65. This is called early- or young-onset Alzheimer's disease." Commenting on his video, one user said: "My parents were diagnosed with dementia at the same time. I managed to take care of them, it can be very hard." Another user added: "I was 48 when I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease." A third user said: "My husband was diagnosed with early onset dementia 17 years ago. Everything has stayed the same."