Agewell Health promotion for older people in New Zealand
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Agewell Health promotion for older people in New Zealand
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A Carer's StoryReturn to the Memory Loss page Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease If
I Only
Knew
Then--What
I Know
Now!
Jacqueline Marcell tells her story of caring for her parents. Her situation is one that may be familiar to readers and highlights some of the difficulties facing carers when caring for a loved one with memory loss. We have included the link to this thought-provoking story for your interest and we acknowledge that every caring situation is extremely varied, as is the support and person being cared for. Jacqueline talks about Ten Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease that would have helped her immensely if she had know about them earlier on in the care of her parents. Jacqueline is based in America so not all the information will be as relevant to New Zealanders. Jacqueline
Marcell
is a
former
college
professor
and
television
executive,
who
after
the
experience
of
caring
for
her
elderly
parents
became
an
author,
publisher,
radio
host,
national
speaker,
and
advocate
for
eldercare
awareness
and
reform.
She
wrote
the bestseller,
Elder
Rage,
or
Take
My
Father...
Please!
How
to
Survive
Caring
For
Aging
Parents,
a
Book-of-the-Month
Club
selection,
which
is
being
considered
for a
feature
film. Jacqueline
also
hosts
"Coping
with
Caregiving",
an
Internet
radio
program
heard
worldwide
on www.wsRadio.com/CopingWithCaregiving.
For
more
information
see: www.ElderRage.com
You can view further information on the links below, also try the Carers New Zealand website for support, advice and information that may help you in the caring role, and the links provided on the Memory Loss and Dementia page.
Ten
Warning
Signs
of
Alzheimer's
Disease
By Jacqueline Marcell, Author, Elder Rage 1.
Memory
loss.
One of
the
most
common
early
signs
of
dementia
is
forgetting
recently
learned
information.
While
it's
normal
to
forget
appointments,
names,
or
telephone
numbers,
those
with
dementia
will
forget
such
things
more
often
and
not
remember
them
later. 2.
Difficulty
performing
familiar
tasks.
People
with
dementia
often
find
it
hard
to
complete
everyday
tasks
that
are so
familiar
we
usually
do not
think
about
how to
do
them.
A
person
with
Alzheimer's
may
not
know
the
steps
for
preparing
a
meal,
using
a
household
appliance,
or
participating
in a
lifelong
hobby. 3.
Problems
with
language.
Everyone
has
trouble
finding
the
right
word
sometimes,
but a
person
with
Alzheimer's
disease
often
forgets
simple
words
or
substitutes
unusual
words,
making
his or
her
speech
or
writing
hard
to
understand.
If a
person
with
Alzheimer's
is
unable
to
find
his or
her
toothbrush,
for
example,
the
individual
may
ask
for
"that
thing
for my
mouth." 4.
Disorientation
to
time
and
place.
It's
normal
to
forget
the
day of
the
week
or
where
you're
going.
But
people
with
Alzheimer's
disease
can
become
lost
on
their
own
street,
forget
where
they
are
and
how
they
got
there,
and
not
know
how to
get
back
home. 5.
Poor
or
decreased
judgment.
No one
has
perfect
judgment
all of
the
time.
Those
with
Alzheimer's
may
dress
without
regard
to the
weather,
wearing
several
shirts
or
blouses
on a
warm
day or
very
little
clothing
in
cold
weather.
Individuals
with
dementia
often
show
poor
judgment
about
money,
giving
away
large
amounts
of
money
to
telemarketers
or
paying
for
home
repairs
or
products
they
don't
need. 6.
Problems
with
abstract
thinking.
Balancing
a
checkbook
may be
hard
when
the
task
is
more
complicated
than
usual.
Someone
with
Alzheimer's
disease
could
forget
completely
what
the
numbers
are
and
what
needs
to be
done
with
them. 7.
Misplacing
things.
Anyone
can
temporarily
misplace
a
wallet
or
key. A
person
with
Alzheimer's
disease
may
put
things
in
unusual
places:
an
iron
in the
freezer
or a
wristwatch
in the
sugar
bowl. 8.
Changes
in
mood
or
behavior.
Everyone
can
become
sad or
moody
from
time
to
time.
Someone
with
Alzheimer's
disease
can
show
rapid
mood
swings-from
calm
to
tears
to
anger-for
no
apparent
reason. 9.
Changes
in
personality.
People's
personalities
ordinarily
change
somewhat
with
age.
But a
person
with
Alzheimer's
disease
can
change
a lot,
becoming
extremely
confused,
suspicious,
fearful,
or
dependent
on a
family
member. 10.
Loss
of
initiative.
It's
normal
to
tire
of
housework,
business
activities,
or
social
obligations
at
times.
The
person
with
Alzheimer's
disease
may
become
very
passive,
sitting
in
front
of the
television
for
hours,
sleeping
more
than
usual,
or not
wanting
to do
usual
activities. |
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Please Note Age Concern North Shore has tried to ensure that all information on this website is correct. However, Age Concern North Shore does not accept liability for any statements or advice contained on, or omissions from, nor endorse any suggested site on this website. Other websites referred to on this website are here for reference only. The information on this website should not be regarded as a substitute for professional advice and we do suggest that you consult with your health, legal or financial professional. ŠAge Concern North Shore 2001-2007. E-Mail us dianem@acns.co.nz about the website. Website last updated 30/06/2010 |
