Learn More About the Warning Signs of Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Loss of a loved one, that too to Alzheimer’s that more than 6.7 million Americans are currently dealing with- is one of the most devastating experiences for anyone. This blog aims to discuss some of the warning signs and steps you can take that can help reverse the situation in both a loved one and in yourself. Learning more about the condition will help you make necessary preparations like deciding to put your older adult at Anthem Senior Home for professional care, etc.

The warning signs include:

A change in language: forgetting familiar words, trouble communicating with someone, unable to pay attention while talking, issue with registering stuff while having a conversation.

Trouble navigating oneself: trouble finding oneself around one’s house or town, which can worsen with time.

Sensory: one could be at the receiving end of a loss of smell, taste, hearing, sight.

Constipation: this happens due to the gut-brain connection. One part affects the other.

Changes in personality: a person dealing with dementia or Alzheimer’s undergoes a complete change in personality.

Mood changes: this arises out of not being able to remember different things. As family members, do not constantly correct your loved one which could lead them to become frustrated. This might worsen the situation at hand further.

Loss of memory: one is not able to remember even something recent.

Thinking-problem solving: interference with one’s ability to solve problems.

Awareness: one is unable to stay attentive, not able to focus on things on hand, mind is somewhere else.

Repeating things: one keeps repeating things, they may not even realize that they are repeating something that they’ve just said.

It must be noted here that some of the signs of dementia, such as trouble organizing and planning things, constipation, personality changes, language issues, sensory dysfunction and problems navigating could also arise from a lack of sleep, a blood glucose problem, or many other things- other than dementia. This makes checkups at regular intervals imperative.

Here are some preventive measures that will stand you in good stead:

Good nutrition is at the centre of keeping dementia at bay. Here’s what you can do:

1. Keep your gut in a good shape by incorporating green-leafy vegetables and organic foods in your diet. Also, a low-carb diet is what experts recommend.
2. Consume Ginkgo Biloba and lion’s mane mushroom.
3. Taking vitamin B1 (in consultation with your doctor) is a good idea.
4. Integrate broccoli sprouts in your diet.
5. Increase consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, zinc and vitamin D.

Follow these nutritional tips alongside getting plenty of sleep and exercise.

Adopting the aforementioned measures can significantly cut your risk of developing dementia- a cognitive decline where certain parts of the brain are shrinking, especially a structure called hippocampus. If your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia and if you feel the time is right for specialized memory care for your beloved, put your loved one at Anthem Senior Home. Reap the benefits of our wide range of programs and services designed specifically to make our dementia residents’ lives more meaningful and productive. Our programs give residents a purpose to live their life to the fullest. To book a suite, call us on 623-300-1180.