It’s alarming to hear an aging loved one call you by someone else’s name, but what if they forget it altogether? While it’s normal to see some decline in mental capacity with the years, any problems concerning memory, behavior, and thinking in those under 65 can be a sign of early onset Alzheimer’s disease. It could also be a warning to start thinking about long term care options. Here are some of the specific behaviors you should pay attention to.

What Are the Indications of Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease?

1. Difficulty With Tasks

Memory loss can manifest itself in many ways. Take note if your loved one starts having significant trouble paying their bills, calculating numbers, or making organized lists. Watch them while they're cooking to see if they remember how to do simple tasks such as boiling water or breaking an egg. Eventually, the names of family members and the details of significant life events will also start to slip their minds.

Your relative might not, themselves, realize how much they are forgetting. Over time, this might cause them to neglect eating or to leave the stove on. In these cases, when they pose a danger to themselves or others, a long term care facility might be necessary to provide supervision and support.

2. Communication

Alzheimer’s disease also affects language. Your loved one's speech may become nonsensical, with missing words and lapses in meaning. In addition, they may have trouble understanding what you and other family members are saying to them.

3. Unusual Behaviour

Most people follow patterns of behavior that the family recognizes as being true to their personality. Alzheimer's can shift these habits. A grandfather who used to wake up early, read the newspaper, and visit friends often may start to sleep in later, avoid reading, and stop being social. In some cases, they may even become violent. The staff at long term care facilities know how to be patient with residents and will strive to accommodate their changing routines while keeping them as healthy and active as possible.

Are you looking for a long term care facility for a loved one? If so, Lakeview Christian Home in Carlsbad, New Mexico can offer them a safe and comfortable place to stay. Since 1960, the non-profit, Christian organization has helped hundreds of individuals and their families at their two senior living facilities, River Bend and The Villages. Call (575) 885-3161 today or visit their website for more information on their services.