Healthy Living

How many times have you forgotten something important and wondered, "Am I getting Alzheimer's disease?" That happens to me often, and I always blame it on getting older. But the truth is that Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging. I asked Kristine Johnson, Director of the Alzheimer's Association of Eastern Connecticut how we can tell the difference between normal forgetfulness as we age and Alzheimer's. She referred me to their website: www.alz.org where I found "10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's."

One of the most common warning signs is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events, or asking the same information over and over again. It was reassuring for me to learn that a typical age-related change is sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later.

Early detection of Alzheimer’s does give the patient the ability to explore treatments that can provide some relief of symptoms and help them maintain a level of independence longer. Early detection also increases the chances the patient will be able to participate in clinical drug trials that help advance research. Dr. Max Okasha, Medical Director of Comprehensive Psychiatric Care in Norwich, has been conducting research on treatments for Alzheimer's for several years now. He believes about 90% of what we know about Alzheimer's has been discovered in the last 15 years; and he’s excited about a promising new treatment in late stage clinical trials. Dr. Okasha and Kristine will be co-presenters of a community education program at Backus Hospital on Tuesday, Feb. 23, focusing on early warning signs, early detection benefits and current research. You can call (855) HHC-HERE to register or for more information.

I reviewed the 10 warning signs and concluded that my forgetfulness is indeed a normal age-related change, not Alzheimer's. After reviewing, if you notice any of the signs in yourself or someone you know, don't ignore them. Schedule an appointment with your primary care provider for an evaluation.