Major Alzheimer's Disease Warning Signs

Social Interaction Skills Decline

In some patients, Alzheimer's disease presents as a loss of polite social skills. This behavior change causes great concern to family members of these patients. A variety of medical causes potentially account for the problem.

For instance, an Alzheimer's disease patient during the middle of a conversation might suddenly forget a familiar person's name, or the word used to describe a well-known object. They may display obvious difficulties searching for the correct vocabulary term. In some cases, individuals with Alzheimer's disease become abrupt or even rude. They may terminate or begin a conversation at inappropriate times, and understanding their speech sometimes proves difficult.

A Loss of Common Sense And Good Judgment

One of the most alarming signs of possible Alzheimer's disease relates to uncharacteristic losses of common sense and good judgment. Sometimes these issues offer the first clue to children an elderly parent has developed some form of dementia. For example, an individual with Alzheimer's disease may stop attending to personal hygiene. A homemaker with a well-kept house may fail to clean kitchen dishes or change clothes on a regular basis. An elderly individual who enjoys seasonal outdoor activities may try to engage in those recreational pursuits during inappropriate weather.

A series of poor decisions, especially in a senior who previously demonstrated sound judgment, prompts concern about the presence of Alzheimer's disease. The loss of judgment places some seniors at risk of harming themselves or others.