Ask the Expert: Forgetfulness: When to Call a Doctor

• Memory loss:
  • Typical Age-Related Change: Anyone can forget details from a recent event or conversation and recall them later.
  • Possible Dementia: One of the most common signs of Alzheimer's is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; increasingly needing to rely on memory aids (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or asking for help from family members for things they used to handle on their own.
• Abstract thinking, planning, and problem solving:
  
  • Typical Age-Related Change: Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.
  • Possible Dementia: Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers, and may forget what numbers are for and how they should be used. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.
• Problems with writing or speaking:
  
  • Typical Age-Related Change: Struggling to come up with the right word occasionally
  • Possible Dementia: People with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia can have problems remembering even basic words. Their way of speaking may become contorted and hard to follow. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word, or call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a "watch" a "hand-clock"). They also may repeat stories, sometimes word for word and may keep asking the same questions, no matter how many times they're answered.
• Personality changes:
  
  • Typical Age-Related Change: Developing specific ways of doing things or becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.
  • Possible Dementia: People with Alzheimer's or other types of dementia may have sudden mood swings. They might become emotional - upset or angry - for no particular reason. They might become withdrawn or stop doing things they typically enjoy. They could become uncharacteristically suspicious of family members -- or trusting of spammers, solicitors, or telemarketers.
• Disorientation and confusion:
  
  • Typical Age-Related Change: Misplacing things from time to time and retracing steps to find them.
  • Possible Dementia: People with dementia may get lost in places they know very well, like their own neighborhoods. They may have trouble completing basic and familiar tasks, such as cooking dinner, bathing, or shaving. They may place objects in inappropriate places, such as putting a toothbrush in the freezer or milk in the cabinet under the sink. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing.
• Lack of hygiene:
  
  • Typical Age-Related Change: Wearing pajamas and slippers all day, leaving the house in a rush without deodorant, or wearing a shirt with a stain, and not noticing it is there.
  • Possible Dementia: People who have dressed smartly every day of their lives might start wearing stained clothing or stop bathing
• Poor or Decreased Judgment:
  
  • Typical Age-Related Change: Making a questionable or debatable decision from time to time.
  • Possible Dementia: Those with dementia may dress inappropriately, wearing several layers on a warm day or shorts in the snow. They may show poor judgment, such as giving away large sums of money to solicitors or telemarketers.

Critter Corner: Helping Seniors with Winter Hazards

• Falls on the ice: Slips are a major risk for seniors in winter, so it's important to wear shoes with traction, such as warm boots with rubber soles.
• Driving: Seniors should avoid driving when road conditions are bad, and if they must drive, they should make sure snow-tires are installed and warm blankets and food are available in the car, should the vehicle become stranded or disabled.
• Hypothermia: According to Center for Disease Control (CDC), more than 50% of hypothermia deaths are among seniors. Older adults who do venture outside in cold weather should make sure to layer their clothing and dress warmly. Seniors should keep their thermostats above 65 degrees, and seek assistance if they lose heating.
• Social Isolation: If your mother has been spending a lot of time alone at home due to inclement weather, try to visit her often and spend time with her in her home. Arrange transportation to the local senior center, your mother's church or synagogue, or other places where she can socialize.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or "the Wintertime Blues": Many seniors experience a decrease in happiness and energy during the winter, which is caused by decreased daytime light in winter. This phenomenon is known as "seasonal affective disorder" or "SAD". During times of year when daytime is shorter, seniors are at highest risk. Open curtains and blinds during winter to let natural lighting in. Seniors experiencing depression should of course talk to their doctors.
• Sundowning: Seniors with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia sometimes experience sundowners syndrome, which may include increased memory loss, agitation, confusion, and even anger during the evening hours. Sundowning is often exacerbated during winter, because the season's low light can disrupt the body's circadian rhythms. To help seniors experiencing sundowning, establish a routine, let light into the home, and promote a relaxing, quiet environment in the evening.