Description
Some of the first signs of Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease
A neurological disease that affects memory and behaviour. It is characterized by beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. There is no known cause but genetics and lifestyle are thought to play a role. are changes in the personality of the person you care for. The person you care for may be struggling with their loss of independence as a result of their declining functioning and abilities Abilities
Level at which certain actions and activities can be carried out.. This can lead to frustration, which may be expressed as cursing, complaining and increased irritability. The fact that the person you care for can do less and less decreases their motivation and can result in a more passive attitude. A desire to regain some amount of control in their life may be expressed as being stingy or miserly. For example, they may limit the amount of food prepared or the amount of water being used. Additionally, they may no longer feel like an active member of society and try to isolate themselves thereby becoming less talkative.
Personality change is often one of the first symptoms in diagnosing most types of frontotemporal dementia Frontotemporal dementia
A type of dementia that mainly affects the frontal lobe causing a problem in executive function tasks.. It is unexpected and disturbing for the caregiver and family to watch the person they have known for years, behave in ways they never would have behaved before. Many times behavior changes result in the embarrassing, inappropriate social situation. Family can minimize this by modifying social and interpersonal events. Going out in public can be overwhelming and frustrating for the family. When dining in a restaurant, position the patient between family and friends to limit the amount of contact with the public. Some families prefer to go to restaurants where the patient is known and they can be seated at a table which limits patient exposure to others.
In Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease
A progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of neurons in the brain. The disease has been linked to a lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine which has consequences such as tremors, speech impediments, movement difficulties, and often dementia later in the course of the disease. dementia, one of the first signs (with mental slowing) is mental inflexibility.
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