Can you recognize Alzheimer's?

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - If you've ever forgotten the name of a business associate or lost your keys, you might have wondered, even just fleetingly, if you have the beginnings of Alzheimer's disease.

Everyone has heard heart-rending stories about this progressive brain disease. But as much as we think we know about Alzheimer's disease, a recent survey of more than 1,000 seniors found a lack of knowledge of the symptoms and how to respond.

Forty-seven percent of respondents said they have a close friend or family member diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and 83 percent thought they could recognize the disease in themselves or a loved one. But 99 percent were unable to tell the difference between symptoms of early disease, late disease, and non-Alzheimer's dementia.

Nearly all respondents said they would encourage a loved one to talk to a doctor upon suspecting signs of Alzheimer's, but far fewer actually took action when faced with the situation in their own lives.

"We are in denial," said Dr. Carol Rupe, family practitioner and owner of Charlotte's Premiere Health Care. "We try to think, 'Oh, that's just normal for her age.'"

As medical director for four nursing homes and two assisted-living centers for the memory impaired, Rupe has treated many patients who have Alzheimer's disease. Most patients already have moderate disease before they're diagnosed, she said.

While current medicines don't offer a cure, they can help slow the disease. "You may not see a major difference, but you don't see them worsening, either," said Rupe, a paid consultant for Pfizer, the drug company that sponsored the survey and makes several drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease.

The earlier Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed, the more benefit patients can get, Rupe said. "You're not going to extend the quantity of their life, but the quality could be much better," she said.

Everyone forgets things sometimes, Rupe said, but "if it's out of the norm of what you'd expect," it's time to seek medical help. Diagnosing Alzheimer's disease is usually a process of excluding other illnesses that could cause reversible memory loss, such as thyroid disease or depression.

Barbara Drum of Charlotte, N.C., said her father's symptoms came on gradually, and she didn't pay attention right away. "You have a tendency to compensate. You fill in the blanks for them when they're trying to remember a word."

Her father died in 1999. Since then, her mother, Ruth, 86, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body disease, the second most common cause of dementia. Three years ago, Drum moved her mother to The Court at SouthPark, an assisted-living center for the memory-impaired, and now Drum works there as community relations director.

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Through her experience as a caregiver and her work at The Court, she has learned that her response to her father's symptoms was not uncommon.

When you live with or close to someone, you may not notice gradual changes. A husband or wife may compensate for their spouse's forgetfulness, but then children come home for the holidays and notice the difference, Drum said. "They usually don't act on it right away. It may be the next Christmas before they do anything."

Because of her experience, Drum is willing to talk to others who are experiencing memory loss or caring for others who are.

"I don't just have sympathy, I have empathy," she said. "I know their questions. I know their fears."

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

See the Signs: www.seethesigns.com

UNDERSTANDING SYMPTOMS

Normal aging:

Forgetting names of people you rarely see.

Briefly forgetting part of an experience.

Occasionally misplacing something.

Mood changes due to an appropriate cause.

Changes in your interests.

POTENTIAL SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE:

Forgetting names of people close to you.

Forgetting a recent experience.

Not being able to find important things.

Having unpredictable mood changes.

Decreased interest in outside activities.

CAREGIVER STRESS CHECK

Interactive quiz to identify symptoms of stress and offer referrals and resources; www.alz.org; 800-272-3900. Sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association.

REDUCE RISK OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Good nutrition_Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid saturated fats and trans fats. Eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. Avoid routine consumption of sugar. Consume low-glycemic carbohydrates, such as whole grains and legumes. Buy food from local and organic sources when possible. Modest consumption of alcohol is OK. Avoid food additives such as aluminum.

Reduce exposure to toxins.

Increase physical activity.

Increase social activity.

Reduce stress.

Exercise your brain.

Source: "Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging," www.agehealthy.org.

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© 2008, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.).