Will You Remember To Tell The Doctor?
When Alzheimer’s gets worse, noticeable behavior changes at home might not be evident at the doctor’s office. It’s a family caregiver’s job to notice what changed when it changed and to tell the doctor. With months between visits, that’s a lot to keep memorized. Why not let a Symptoms Tracker remember things for you, so you don’t have to?
Let’s imagine your loved one has recently started struggling to speak. In the past, it was having trouble finding the right word, but now, it’s whole sentences. (Alzheimer’s disease not only affects a person’s memory but their ability to use language.) With all that you have to remember, you could easily forget to mention this change at your next doctor’s appointment. Especially if your loved one is having “a good day.” But not if you’re using a Symptoms Tracker.
A Symptoms Tracker makes it easy to remember and share all the details. The best part? When your doctor has the big picture, they can suggest different treatment options, like speech therapy, for example.
Did You Know?
Speech-Language Pathologists can help Alzheimer’s patients’ to improve current skills, lost functions, and learn coping skills. They can also train family members and caregivers how to communicate better with a loved one fighting Alzheimer’s. Speech therapy for Alzheimer’s patients is covered by Medicare Part B.
Find out if Medicare Part B covers your test, item, or service here.
Make Doctor Visits Count
Help your doctor provide the best treatment for your loved one.
Use a Symptoms Tracker to record the critical details your doctor needs to know:
- Date
- Time
- Area of Impairment (for example, Memory, Language, Routines, etc.)
- Scenario (describe what happened)
- Triggers (what set them off?)
- Notes
Doctor’s appointments can be stressful. It’s not uncommon to forget essential things your doctor needs to know. Especially when it comes to Alzheimer’s. A Symptoms Tracker ensures you don’t leave anything out. Don’t try to memorize what happened, write it down!
Early Diagnosis Matters
According to a 2019 study by the National Institute of Aging, Alzheimer's disease is currently ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and the most common cause of dementia among older adults. Early diagnosis means treatment can start immediately. Lifestyle changes and medications can be more effective in the early stages and can postpone or decrease the onset of more serious symptoms.
Medications side effects have their own set of symptoms. For example, Aricept® commonly causes increases in bowel movements, while Namenda® can cause constipation. Alzheimer's medications are known to adversely impact the gastrointestinal system. Early diagnosis of medication side effects can eliminate unnecessary pain and discomfort, and help maintain a higher quality of life.
Is It Alzheimer’s Or Normal Aging?
Alzheimer's is a disease, not a natural part of aging. Here are the ten areas you can monitor with a Symptoms Tracker:
- Memory
- Planning
- Routines
- Orientation
- Perception
- Communication
- Organization
- Judgment
- Socialness
- Demeanor
MEMORY
PLANNING
ROUTINES
ORIENTATION
PERCEPTION
COMMUNICATION
ORGANIZATION
JUDGMENT
DEMEANOR
Using a Symptoms Tracker to monitor Alzheimer's can help you and your doctors understand which stage of Alzheimer's your loved one is fighting. Knowing where your loved one is in the disease progression help's everyone stay one step ahead of Alzheimer's.
10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's AssociationAlzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet
National Institute on Aging5 Benefits Of An Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's or Dementia
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