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Alzheimer’s Disease: What Physical Symptoms Should You Know More About?

Does your elderly loved one have an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis? If so, it would be helpful if you could learn more about the symptoms of their disease. The more that you and their elderly care providers know about the symptoms they have, the more help you can give them when they need it. There are different types of symptoms that your elderly loved one may experience. Today, you can focus more on learning about the physical symptoms that your elderly loved one may develop.

Behavior Changes

Your elderly loved one could start by having behavior changes. These often occur before any physical symptoms occur. For instance, your elderly loved one’s disease may start with some memory loss. They may forget where they put their keys or have trouble holding a conversation because they can’t remember certain things. Social interactions may become more difficult for your elderly loved one. From there, as their Alzheimer’s disease progresses, they may develop physical symptoms, as well.

Physical Symptoms That May Be Noticed Early On

In addition to the behavior changes that your elderly loved one could experience with Alzheimer’s disease, there are physical symptoms that they may develop early on, too. Some of these symptoms might include the following:

  • Picking at their nails
  • Wringing their hands together
  • Losing bowel and/or bladder control
  • Losing the ability to do things they have always been able to do

If your elderly loved one has started displaying one or more of these physical symptoms, you may want to hire more elderly care services for them.

Advanced Physical Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease

In addition to the above-mentioned Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, your elderly loved one may also experience other physical symptoms. These symptoms may include the following:

  • Lack of personal hygiene
  • Worsened bowel and/or bladder control
  • Not able to groom themselves
  • Losing physical mobility
  • Vision issues
  • Higher risk of developing pneumonia
  • Losing awareness and balance
  • These symptoms will often occur as the disease progresses.

If your elderly loved one has gotten an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, it is important to get them the care that they need. It can be tough to handle these symptoms. However, you can hire an elderly care provider who is trained in this disease. They will be able to help your elderly loved one as the disease progresses. The elderly care provider will be able to assist your elderly loved one in the things they are no longer able to do.

Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/managing-personality-and-behavior-changes-alzheimers
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-are-signs-alzheimers-disease

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring elderly care in Phoenix, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

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Rodney and I are so proud of our team. Melissa, our valued Office Manager ( see below), has held it ALL down during the 6 weeks of working from home. Melissa has managed all details, checking on other team members , doing new customer intake and auditing schedules. We literally could not have gotten through this without her.

Patty has managed the schedule and clients. Very proud of her.

Marilyn, our Evening and Weekend On Call is awesome! She tirelessly answers all calls, fills shifts and greets everyone with a kind and loving attitude.

And that’s our Maddie below, our granddaughter! She is working at home too!

The office is reopening Monday. This has been an unprecedented challenge for our team. Under Melissa’s leadership, they have answered every need. Rodney and I are deeply grateful. Thank YOU!

Golden Heart gives back!

Golden Heart owners, Laurie and Rodney Malone, went to Vista Living today to support Beverly Diaz’s, VPA, fundraiser for United Food Bank. There are people who need food!

 

 

 

How Can You Tell Your Senior Might Have Dysphagia?

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, could plague your senior for a number of reasons. Sometimes the causes are reversible, but sometimes your elderly family member is dealing with dysphagia for the rest of her life.

She’s Coughing While Drinking or Eating

If your elderly family member coughs while she’s drinking or eating, she’s at risk of aspirating that food or liquid. Often this can happen if the act of trying to swallow causes her to feel a “tickle” or irritation in her throat. This coughing is usually a reflex action in response to those sensations.

She Has a Tougher Time Taking Medication

Swallowing medication is another problematic time for your senior. This is far more obvious with pills than with liquids, of course. If she’s suddenly having difficulty taking medications that she’s taken for years, dysphagia could be part of the problem.

She’s Got More Saliva than Usual

Another sign that could let you know your elderly family member is dealing with dysphagia is that she might have more saliva than usual. This can sometimes be a good thing, but for someone with dysphagia, she could start to drool or have difficulty swallowing the extra saliva. The excess saliva can also make eating and drinking more difficult, because it’s tougher for her to gauge what might be too much in one bite or one swallow.

She Has to Clear Her Throat More Often

Your senior may seem to be clearing her throat more often, both when she’s eating and in between meals. This can be because her throat feels tight, because of excess saliva, or even because of excess mucous. All of these are possible contributing factors, and if she clears her throat while eating or drinking, she can possibly aspirate some food or drink.

Food or Beverages Feel Like They Go Down Her Throat “Wrong”

When she swallows, ask your senior how she feels. If she’s describing that her throat just feels wrong or that the food almost goes down the wrong pipe, there may be more going on that her doctor needs to investigate. There may not be an easy answer, but you can learn some techniques that help your senior.

Home care services can be very helpful to you and to your senior as you help her to manage dysphagia. They can assist with special meal preparation and help your elderly family member to eat if that’s becoming difficult for her.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring home care in Fountain Hills, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!