Symptoms of Alzheimer's

• Confusion with time or place – Alzheimer's patients lose track of dates, seasons, and the passage of time. They sometimes forget where they are or how they got there.
• Challenges in planning or solving problems – Some people may find it hard to focus, follow a plan and work with numbers. They can't follow a recipe or keep track of monthly bills. They can't focus and take longer to do things that they did before.
• Difficulty finishing common tasks at home, at work, or at leisure –  Alzheimer's patients find it hard to complete daily tasks. They may have trouble driving to a familiar place, managing a budget, or remembering their favorite game's rules.
• Memory loss that gets in the way of daily life– One of the most common signs of Alzheimer's is forgetting recently-acquired information. Others include forgetting important dates or events, asking the same question over and over, increased dependence on memory aids (e.g. reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to do on their own.
• Problems with written and spoken words – People with Alzheimer's may have difficulty understanding or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and don't know how to continue. They may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, finding the right word, or naming things properly. For instance, they may call a watch a hand clock.
• Trouble grasping visual images and spatial relationships – Some people may have vision problems, like difficulty reading, judging distance, color or contrast. As a result, driving becomes extra hard for them.

Alzheimer's is scary. But it is preventable. Knowing the symptoms and sleeping well into the night are some of the best ways to keep the disease at bay.