I wasn't overly concerned when my friend Alice told me how frustrated she gets when her adult children remind her she told them something before.
It happens to me. I don't always remember which one of my kids I told I got a good deal on a rib roast or about something I saw on TV.
"Mom, you told me that, twice. This is the third time."
I realized I had to pay closer attention to who I told what.
When Alice got lost on her way home from the grocery store she shops at regularly, a little flag popped up in my mind. Another time she said she was embarrassed that she thoughtlessly put the eggs in the oven instead of the refrigerator. That's when the little flag became a big one unfurled and flying high.
Alice and I have been friends for many years and we are close enough to tell each other things we don't tell others. I decided it was time to talk to her daughters. They were also concerned.
I told her daughter I knew Medicare-covered testing for Alzheimer's disease under certain conditions, like having Medicare Part B for at least a year. The problem was getting Alice to agree to have it done. Denial of most any medical problem is not uncommon among many of us seniors. When it's a problem that could be serious, possibly terminal, or untreatable, well we hold off as long as we can.
The next time I was with Alice, I mentioned I was thinking of getting tested for Alzheimer's. Her surprised look was followed by, "Why?"
I mentioned little things like forgetting names, losing my phone, how I had to make notes to remind me of appointments or social activities. She shook her head and said that was not unusual for people our age.
Not long after that, I heard Alice had walked out of church service and was gone for over 6 hours. Her car was still in the parking lot. Family and friends spread out looking for her and found her in a field several miles outside of town.
She agreed to be tested. It was determined she had dementia, often a prelude to Alzheimer's. Could early detection prevent Alzheimer's?
Is there anything one can do pre-dementia to prevent it?
With concentrated, in-depth research, I learned a lot about memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer's. It's why I decided to write this Blog--
The more we know, the better we can deal with whatever memory loss we have.
Even if you aren't experiencing memory loss, you probably know someone who is. Possibly what I've learned will be useful to them.
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