What I know

'Alzheimers only effects old people and is part of getting old' - This is was what i thought of Alzheimers before mums diagnosis!

So now that we as a family are embracing the world of alzheimers, i thought i would share a few things that you may not know untill you unfortunately have to deal with it (again this is going on my experience, im not an expert) -

My mum was diagnosed at the age of 56 - blowing the myth that it is 'an old person's disease'

Short term memory goes first! Someone with alzheimers can remember something from 30yrs ago but forget what they done yesterday!

Wandering - up and down the stairs 4 or 5 times, in and of the kitchen, in and out of the living room! You query what she is looking for and try to help, ask her to sit down and chat, but then you begin to just accept it and treat it is as the norm now!

Repitition - can come in many forms! Watching certain programmes at a certain time, obsessively! Repeating yourself within the same conversation as if you've never said it before!

Misplacing things - the most random things can disapear, and then reappear in the most random place! Again i dont know why, but it happens!

Delusions - being convinced that something has happened, when you for a fact know it didnt! What do you do? Agree or try to help her understand whats going on?

So if you had asked me 5 years ago what Alzheimers is, I dont think I would have known about these and Im sure there is more to find out. Hopefully I can give insight to someone else venturing on this path!

#alzheimers