Carmel, CA Alzheimer's Disease : Look For The Early Signs

Alzheimer's disease can take years, sometimes even more than a decade to develop, researchers believe.  It's a disease which is not well understood by many Americans who believe that as people age, it's natural for them to become mentally impaired.  Although it's true that your chances of severe memory impairment increase with age, it's not true for everyone.  There's a huge amount of research being done looking for a cure and even a vaccine for the disease.  But there's also an education process with the general public which needs to take place so more people will become involved in clinical trials and convince the government to step up with more research money.  William Thies, chief scientific and medical officer for the Alzheimer's Association told USA Today that there are a number of signs you should be aware of that could be a precursor to Alzheimer's developing.  If you notice that walking becomes slower or more variable for a loved one, for instance, this could be a sign.  In several studies, gait changes were noticed before cognition changes.  Loss of interest can also be a sign.  If a loved one has a hobby or a favorite place to go and suddenly loses interest in doing it, a number of things could be wrong including the possibility of the onset of Alzheimer's disease.  Also, if someone appears to be having difficulty with recipes and cooking, this could be a sign of cognitive function declining and you should have the person see a doctor who is familiar with treating Alzheimer's disease.  Regular readers of my blog know that I am a big supporter of the Alzheimer's Association, which has a 24-hour help line at 800-272-3900. They are also the largest private supporter of Alzheimer's research in the United States. Please help them with their important mission if you can by clicking on this link for Family inHome Caregiving fundraising site for Alzheimer's Association.