WHEN ALZHEIMER'S STRIKES: EARLY RECOGNITION IS KEY TO ALZHEIMER'S BOTTLE

When Lydia A. Seabaugh stopped baking and sewing, her family thought she was just losing interest because she was getting older. But when she stopped going to family and church activities, it became apparent something was wrong.

The diagnosis: Alzheimer's disease.

"The symptoms were there for several years, but we didn't recognize what it was because we didn't know much about Alzheimer's," said Lois A. Seabaugh, Lydia's daughter, who has taken care of her mother since she was diagnosed with the progressive, degenerative brain disease almost 10 years ago.

Recognizing early signs of Alzheimer's disease, which affects about 4 million Americans, is important, because the sooner someone with the disease begins treatment the more likely it is he or she will benefit, says the Alzheimer's Association.

The holidays often bring family members together, which makes it a good time for families to notice Alzheimer's disease warning signs. Relatives often miss the signs in a loved one and fail to act, thereby delaying treatment, therapies and planning.

The warning signs:

• Memory loss that affects job skills.
• Difficulty performing familiar tasks.
• Problems with language.
• Disorientation to time and place.
• Poor or decreased judgment.
• Problems with abstract thinking.
• Misplacing things.
• Changes in mood or behavior.
• Changes in personality.
• Loss of initiative.

Ruth Dockins remembers thinking her dad, the late Cecil Link, was just absent-minded when he did things like drive to the store and walk home because he forgot he had taken the car.

These early signs showed up a couple of years before family members realized something more serious than forgetfulness was going on, said Dockins, public information director for the Area Agency on Aging in Cape Girardeau.

According to a new Alzheimer's Association survey, Americans often confuse warning signs of Alzheimer's disease with memory loss associated with normal aging and fail to recognize other thinking difficulties as warning signs.

"Throughout the holiday season, millions of people will visit their loved ones. Often it's during these visits that families may notice a change in their loved one's health or behavior," said Dr. Eric Tangalos, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minn., and a national board member of the Alzheimer's Association.

In fact, Dockins said, because symptoms come on gradually, they may be more apparent to those who see relatives infrequently than those who see someone every day.

"We want families to recognize changes in behavior and be able to identify the warning signs of Alzheimer's disease so they can take appropriate action," Tangalos said.

The survey uncovered a general lack of knowledge about Alzheimer's warning signs, which may help explain why long delays are common between the onset of symptoms and the time a person seeks a diagnosis.

Forty-nine percent of Americans incorrectly believe that normal forgetfulness such as failing to remember where one left the house keys or parked the car is on its own symptomatic of Alzheimer's disease, according to the survey. And 33 percent of respondents failed to recognize that other thinking difficulties such as forgetting simple words and, or using inappropriate ones, or being unable to recognize numbers, are among warning signs of the debilitating brain disease.

The Alzheimer's Association commissioned the survey of Americans' awareness and understanding of Alzheimer's disease to help determine how public knowledge might affect the lag time between the appearance of symptoms and diagnosis.

"Although current treatments provide symptomatic relief, and there have been recent breakthroughs in Alzheimer research, a cure or true prevention may be years away," said Bill Thies, vice president of medical and scientific affairs for the Alzheimer's Association. "That's why it's important now to teach families how to recognize the warning signs of early diagnosis."

Early recognition and diagnosis of Alzheimer's offer people with the disease the greatest opportunity to benefit from medical and behavioral interventions. Medical treatments have been shown to help sustain cognitive function (thinking and reasoning) and preserve a person's quality of life.

Currently two drugs are available for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: donepezil (brand name Aricept) and tacrine (brand name Cognex). Several new medications will be available in the near future, the Alzheimer's Association says.

In addition to treatment for cognitive symptoms, families often seek help from physicians to alleviate behavioral symptoms that may accompany Alzheimer's, especially as the disease progresses. Often behavioral problems can be alleviated by modifying a person's surroundings. Modifications include adjusting the lighting, removing clutter and providing safety by adjusting hot water temperature to prevent burns).

The Alzheimer's Association maintains a network of nearly 200 chapters nationwide, including one in Cape Girardeau, to provide programs and services to people with the disease, their families, and caregivers and professionals. Services include support groups, telephone help line, educational programs, publications and information about local services.

Lois A. Seabaugh, who cares for her mother at home, said the local support group has been especially helpful to her. She said newer members are helped by the sharing of information about dealing with problems, behaviors and treatments. Longtime members like herself enjoy the camaraderie and a sense of helping others.

"We try to help each other and get through this devastating disease," she said.

Brochure available

The brochure "Is It Alzheimer's? Warning Signs You Should Know" is available from the Alzheimer's Association. For a copy call (800) 272-3900 or contact the Cape Girardeau Alzheimer's Association chapter, 332-8170.