Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain. Symptoms include loss of memory, difficulty with day to day tasks, and changes in mood and behaviour. People may think these symptoms are part of normal aging but they aren't. If you notice any of these symptoms or changes in abilities or behaviour, it is important to see your doctor or primary care provider.

To help you know what warning signs to look for, the Alzheimer Society has developed the following list:

10 WARNING SIGNS

1. Memory loss that affects day-to-day abilities
   
   It's normal to occasionally forget appointments, colleagues' names or a friend's phone number and remember them later. A person with Alzheimer's disease may forget things more often or have difficulty recalling information that has recently been learned.
2. Difficulty performing familiar tasks
   
   Busy people can be so distracted from time to time that they may forget to serve part of a meal and only remember later. A person with Alzheimer's disease may have trouble completing tasks that have been familiar to them all their lives, such as meal preparation or playing a game.
3. Problems with language
   
   Everyone has trouble finding the right word sometimes, but a person with Alzheimer's disease may forget simple words or substitute words, making sentences difficult to understand.
4. Disorientation in time and space
   
   It's normal to forget the day of the week or your destination - for a moment. But a person with Alzheimer's disease can become lost on their own street, not knowing how they got there or how to get home.
5. Impaired judgment
   
   From time to time, people can make questionable decisions such as putting off seeing a doctor when they have an infection. A person with Alzheimer's disease may experience changes in judgment or decision-making such as not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing heavy clothing on a hot day.
6. Problems with abstract thinking
   
   From time to time, people may have difficulty with tasks that require abstract thinking such as balancing a cheque book. Someone with Alzheimer's disease may have significant difficulties with such tasks, for example not understanding what numbers are and how they can be used.
7. Misplacing things
   
   Anyone can temporarily misplace a wallet or keys. A person with Alzheimer's disease may put things in inappropriate places: an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.
8. Changes in mood or behaviour
   
   Everyone becomes sad or moody from time to time. Someone with Alzheimer's disease can exhibit varied mood swings -- from calm to tears to anger -- for no apparent reason.
9. Changes in personality
   
   People's personalities can change in subtle ways over time. A person with Alzheimer's disease may experience more striking personality changes and can become confused, suspicious or withdrawn. Changes may also include apathy, fearfulness or acting out of character.
10. Loss of initiative
    
    At times, it's normal to tire of housework, business activities or social obligations, but most people regain their initiative. A person with Alzheimer's disease may become very passive, and require cues and prompting to become involved.

It is important to see a doctor when you notice any of these symptoms as they may be due to other conditions such as depression, drug interactions or an infection. If the diagnosis is Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia such as dementia with Lewy bodies or frontotemporal dementia, your local Alzheimer Society is here to help.

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