My husband was diagnosed in April with early onset alzheimers and says that the names of people is starting to be an issue. He does not see them a lot (say once a month)...is this a sudden decline or normal?
looks like I shouldnt have said the word NORMAL....English is actually not my first language ....what I meant is....is it the norm or the way it goes from mild to suddenly severe....he was not tested for which stage he is in but from all the reading about alzheimers he is inbetween stages 3-4...not 4 yet because he does a lot of things himself and is still working, though struggling and taking longer to sort out or do things at work but are still able to do so....the people I am talking about is co-workers, but it is a very big company and he sees the very often...Miceledesocio....we are in South Africa, there are no such help from social workers or social security of any sort....he has a very good pensioners package and he can apply to get bord at his company that means he should hand in medical papers so he can stop working before the age of 60 which is retirement age in South Africa and still get his full remuneration.
There is no normal with this disease, only a " New Normal" which is where Dad is at any given time. What is concerning is if he cannot remember his co-worker's names, what else is he forgetting that he may not even realize? If dad is officially diagnosed he should be eligible for Social Security immediately. See an elder attorney and get all your paper work in order ASAP B
I'm not sure there is any "Normal" with this. It affects people in different ways, times and can be sudden or gradual. My Dads doc told me that dementia patients tend to plateu for periods and then sometimes go over the cliff getting much worse very quickly, but I don't think you can count on any thing. Mom and I have adopted a one day at a time view with dad. well just have to see what's around the corner. BTW, are you familiar with the movie "I'm still Alice"? This is not a feel good happy movie, but it's a powerful film that depicts life for an early onset person an her family. If you up to it check it out.
I assume he's still working? Does the company by any chance publish a directory? If so, perhaps he could jot down physical characteristics - approximate height, hair color, etc.
If he has a camera he could also take pictures, then include them with the directory even if he has to cut it apart to expand it to include photos. If not, he could create his own directory with the photos and identifying information, such as the department, positions, etc. of the co-workers.
I can't answer your question as to sudden or normal decline issus, but there are others here who have a lot of experience and hopefully will address your concerns.
I would however read up on the condition so you can be prepared and "proactive" on what to expect. If you plan ahead and try to identify potential changes and possible coping means, it might help ease the transition.
The Alzheimer's Assn. has good information and resources.
Good luck, best wishes, and I hope that you both find coping mechanisms that make the journey easier.
If he has a camera he could also take pictures, then include them with the directory even if he has to cut it apart to expand it to include photos. If not, he could create his own directory with the photos and identifying information, such as the department, positions, etc. of the co-workers.
I can't answer your question as to sudden or normal decline issus, but there are others here who have a lot of experience and hopefully will address your concerns.
I would however read up on the condition so you can be prepared and "proactive" on what to expect. If you plan ahead and try to identify potential changes and possible coping means, it might help ease the transition.
The Alzheimer's Assn. has good information and resources.
Good luck, best wishes, and I hope that you both find coping mechanisms that make the journey easier.