When To Call A Professional
Table of Contents
Call your doctor if you have any concern about your memory, or if you or a loved one is having more difficulty recently with any of the following:
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Learning and remembering new information
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Handling complex tasks, such as preparing a meal
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Reasoning, such as knowing how to organize shopping
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Orientation, such as knowing the day of the week or the time of day
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Language, including finding words to express thoughts
A person with dementia may also exhibit the following types of behaviors:
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Changes in mood behavior, such as irritability
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Placing everyday objects in odd places, such as putting a hat in the microwave
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Forgetting the day, month, time or location
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Loss of desire to initiate activities or be as active as usual
Prognosis
The outlook for dementia depends on the cause and can vary by individual. For example, early treatment of dementia caused by a vitamin deficiency can lead to full recovery of memory. If stroke is the cause, the person's memory loss can remain stable for years. Drugs may slow the rate of decline for some people with Alzheimer's disease. In many cases, however, the disorder gradually gets worse. Depending on the cause, the person's age, general health, and the availability of treatments, life expectancy can be as short as a few months or as long as 15 to 20 years.
Additional Info
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke P.O. Box 5801 Bethesda, MD 20824 Toll-Free: (800) 352-9424 http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
American Geriatrics Society The Empire State Building 350 Fifth Ave. Suite 801 New York, NY 10118 Phone: (212) 308-1414 Fax: (212) 832-8646
http://www.americangeriatrics.org/
Alzheimer's Association 919 North Michigan Ave. Suite 1100 Chicago, IL 60611-1676 Phone: (312) 335-8700 Toll-Free: (800) 272-3900 Fax: (312) 335-1110
Alzheimer's Disease Education & Referral Center (ADEAR) National Institute on Aging P.O. Box 8250 Silver Spring, MD 20907-8250 Toll-Free: (800) 438-4380 http://www.alzheimers.org/
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