Alzheimers Home Testing Manual Now Available Online

Here's another great article on Alzheimers disease from one of our guest authors. We have written many articles on Alzheimers that you'll find elsewhere on this site, but we though it might also be useful to read what other people have written, hence this page. The more you know about this disease, the easier it will be to manage it. I hope you enjoy it. If you want to read more, click here...

Author: Jim Erskine

If you’re concerned about the condition of an older family member or loved one, you are likely asking
yourself: “I know there's something wrong. Could it be Alzheimer’s?”

You aren't alone. Many folks share these "silent" fears and concerns about loved ones who show signs of
memory lapses or have difficulty performing routine tasks. They fear Alzheimer's Disease -- a terrible,
progressive brain disorder that slowly strips away one's mental and physical capabilities.

A new manual, "How to Tell if Someone You Love May Have Alzheimer's", details exactly what early
symptoms and warning signs to look for, and provides simple home tests that can indicate potential
Alzheimer's problems. The manual is available online, free of charge, at www.alztest.com.

Is there really a way to "predict" who will get Alzheimer's?

In most cases, early warning signs (also known as "markers") give clear indication that problems are
brewing that may indicate Alzheimer's. Often, these warning signs can be seen years before clinical
symptoms appear. These include:

1) Loss of the sense of smell: A loss of ability to distinguish or recognize odors can take place up to
two years before memory loss is noticed. This loss is due to damage to nerves in the olfactory area of
the brain, which controls the sense of smell.

2) Visual / Spatial Impairment: Because of insufficient blood supply and nerve damage to the occipital
area of the brain, another early marker is difficulty comprehending visual information. This shows up
in an inability to follow and recall visual directions, or in copying or drawing.

3) Loss of hearing: A study at the University of South Florida revealed that 49 out of 52 patients had
a significant hearing loss. Most individuals affected by this are unaware of their hearing loss.

4) Abnormal Fingerprint Patterns: One unusual type of fingerprint pattern is found in over 75% of all
Alzheimer's patients, suggesting that there is a genetic predisposition for developing this disease or
other dementia.

5) Depression: Approximately 50% of all Alzheimer's patients suffer from abnormal bouts of depression,
well before other personality changes are noticeable.

A series of simple home tests provided in the manual can help determine if there are potential problems
that may require professional intervention. For more information, the complete text of the manual, "How
to Tell if Someone You Love May Have Alzheimer's", may be seen at http://www.alztest.com.

Jim Erskine is the author of 12 books and lives on a 12 acre homestead in the hills of Kentucky. Visit
him at http://www.alztest.com

So, there you have it... another useful Alzheimers Disease article, filled with insights, tips, and techniques related to caring for someone with Alzheimers. I hope you found it useful and informative. Keep checking back, as I'll be adding more articles to our library regularly.

You may also want to visit our Resources page, where you'll find links to some of the best Alzheimers resources on the Web.