By Robin-Lee Francke
Cape Town - As the world marks Alzheimer's Month in September, Livewell, a specialist dementia and Alzheimer's facility in the Gauteng and Western Cape regions, has given 10 warning signs and symptoms to look out for.
Dementia is a group of conditions characterised by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgement.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.
Sean van Wyk, quality of life manager at Livewell, said they aim to encourage understanding, reduce stigma and raise awareness around the common yet devastating disease.
The warning signs and symptoms are:
Memory loss – this is one of the most common signs of dementia, especially in the early stages. The most common sign is forgetting recent information or important dates and events and constantly asking for the same information.
Problem-solving and planning challenges – people may experience difficulty or change in their ability to plan or work with numbers. Some have challenges following familiar things such as recipes, and their concentration span lessens.
Difficulty completing regular tasks at work or home – people suffering from dementia will battle to complete daily tasks, such as driving to familiar places or remembering the rules of a favourite game.
Confusion – people with dementia will be confused with time and place and can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. This may cause panic as they do not always remember when or how they got to a place.
Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships – some people have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining colours.
Difficulty with speech and writing – people with dementia may have problems completing a sentence, following or joining a conversation and struggling with vocabulary.
Misplacing items and unable to retrace steps – a person with dementia may place items or objects in unusual places and be unable to retrace their steps in locating the same item or object. This could result in the person accusing others of stealing.
Poor judgement – people with dementia will experience a significant change in their decision or judgement and may pay less attention to their personal grooming and hygiene.
Withdrawal from society – people with dementia will remove themselves from social activities, projects and sports they may have previously enjoyed.
Change in personality – the mood and personality of people with dementia will change. They will experience a range of feelings and can easily become upset.
Van Wyk has urged anyone experiencing any of the 10 signs or symptoms to consult a medical professional, as an early diagnosis gives a patient time to seek treatment and plan for the future.
- African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher