Alzheimer’s disease does not happen overnight.
Every year in France, 225,000 people are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a neurodegenerative disease that mainly affects memory, but also other cognitive functions, related to language, reasoning, learning, etc., which can lead to total loss of autonomy. Since it affects the brain, the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s is particularly frightening.
In the collective unconscious, we often imagine that Alzheimer’s occurs overnight and that the person will no longer recognize us or suddenly forget everything. However, there are several warning signs that generally alert us, recalls Dr. Filip Barinka, head of the geriatric neurology practice at the Swiss Institute of Clinical Neurosciences in Zurich, interviewed by the Swiss weekly Swiss IllustratedAnd the earlier the diagnosis, the more likely the patient is to receive appropriate care and have a better quality of life.
According to the expert, “Certain behaviors can suggest the onset of Alzheimer’s“. Among them: telling the same story over and over again, making mistakes in everyday tasks (turning on the oven, making a recipe, playing cards, using the remote control correctly, etc.), having difficulty managing money (making transfers, paying bills on time), neglecting one’s appearance (and denying it: “Of course I take a shower every day”) or even not being able to find objects in the house (or putting them in unusual places) and suspecting other people of having taken them or even stolen them.
Another sign that may seem harmless at first glance can also suggest the onset of Alzheimer’s: “It is answering a question by repeating the question“, the article reads. For example, when asked what they had for lunch, it is common for people to start their response with, “Hmm, what did I have for lunch? Chicken.” Sometimes, this is simply a speech tic and is not necessarily a sign of dementia. However, it is advisable to pay attention to this type of behavior and to take the person to see a doctor if necessary. Similarly, “Repetitive questions should really raise alarm bells (asking several times what they ate for lunch, for example, when someone has already answered, editor’s note), whatever their age, because it suggests that the person is unable to absorb new information.” Dr. Maï Panchal of the Vaincre Alzheimer Foundation informed us,