Have you ever wondered how we clocked on that something wasn’t quite right with our Mom’s memory? Family and friends often ask, “Was she forgetting names? Did she forget her own?” Well, after living with Alzheimer’s for seven years, here’s the scoop: Mom still knows our names and hers, thank goodness!
What clued us in were her battles with multi-step tasks. It wasn’t about forgetting names; it was about the complexity of daily routines.
Picture this: I’d ring her up, just checking in, and she’d mention a fried egg for lunch. The first few times, I brushed it off. But after hearing it ten times, I knew this wasn’t her usual.
Then, she calls me, needing a walkthrough to fill out a check. Now, our Mom was the CFO of our family, no less! Seeing her struggle with the basics of check-writing was a red flag.
Taking a closer look at her day-to-day life, I noticed the decline. Baking, her weekly ritual, started fading away. At first, I figured she was taking it easy in her golden years. But weeks turned into months, and the baking pans stayed tucked away. That’s when I realized it wasn’t a break she needed; it was help with multi-step tasks like baking.
Her world started shrinking, too. She’d stick to one route, familiar as the back of her hand. The left turn led to groceries and the pharmacy; the right turn to a gas station she barely visited. Malls and Target-runs—those were a thing of the past.
So, if something feels off but your loved one still knows your name, watch for multi-step struggles. If you spot those, it’s time to consider Alzheimer’s testing or other dementia checks.
Wanna dive deeper into the testing process? Check out this post.
Take care!
Spotting Alzheimer’s isn’t just about forgetting names. Look out for struggles with everyday multi-step tasks, such as:
If things feel off, even if your loved one remembers your name, it might be time to consider Alzheimer’s testing. Stay vigilant, and take care of each other.
