Mom appears a little bit puzzled nowadays. A week ago, she substituted salt for sugar in her popular butter cookie recipe. She referred to the puppy by my brother’s name. And she lost her handbag, only to find it in the medicine cabinet. Is it feasible she’s developing Alzheimer’s disease or some other kind of dementia?
Although there are a number of other possible reasons behind dementia-like signs such as these – medication side effects or depression, for instance – these types of warning signs help doctors determine whether dementia may be the root cause:
- Mental performance loss – determined by speaking with both the individual and people closest to her, coupled with cognitive screening.
- Changes in formerly learned capabilities – evaluating abilities that were effortlessly carried out previously against present challenges.
- Troubles with duties of daily life – evaluated through worries indicated by members of the family.
- Some other physical conditions – analyzing underlying circumstances that may result in delirium, which imitates dementia, such as bacterial infections, thyroid issues, electrolyte imbalances, and more.
- Mental history – a complete overview of mental problems that can come into play, like depression or schizophrenia.
If your older family member has been identified as having dementia, we invite you to get in touch with Home Sweet Home In-Home Care at 269-849-9252. Our caring, skilled St. Joseph home care team is ready to help with specialized dementia care to help improve quality of life, safety and independence.