The most common symptoms of Alzheimer's diesease:

• Loss of memory, decreased ability to learn, and decreased attention span
• Loss of thinking ability, judgment, and decision making
• Loss of ability to recall the appropriate word or phrase
• Loss of mathematical ability
• Disorientation: gets lost; can't find way home
• Loss of physical coordination: inability to perform skilled motor acts
• Changes in personality: the outgoing person may become withdrawn; the loving person may become uncaring
• Changes in emotion, including agitation, depression and suspiciousness
• Loss of initiative; indifferent

Some of the more difficult symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease are:

• Loss of ability to communicate
• Loss of ability to recall family members and/or close friends
• Difficulty with common tasks, like driving a car
• Loss of independence
• Awareness of memory changes
• Confusion and inability to follow instructions
• Inability to perform daily tasks
• Repetition of phrases and stories
• Wandering
• Loss of social Inhibition (public displays of sexuality)
• Accusations of sexual misbehavior and of stealing
• Changes in personality, including rage and withdrawal
• Verbal profanity when outside of normal personality
• Refusal to give up driving a car

The easiest sign to recognize when someone may be developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia is when they start having trouble communicating. Changes in the ability to communicate when one is suffering from Alzheimer's or dementia are unique to each person. A caregiver may recognize differences in a person with dementia such as:

• Difficulty finding the right words
• Using familiar words repeatedly
• Inventing new words to describe familiar things
• Easily losing train of thought
• Difficulty organizing words logically
• Reverting to speaking in a native language
• Using curse words
• Speaking less often
• More often relying on gestures instead of speaking

Keep in mind that a number of physical conditions and medication's can also affect a person's ability to communicate. Consult your doctor when you notice major changes.

If the person has difficulty hearing:
• Approach the person from the front
• Stand directly in front of the person when speaking to him or her
• Get the person's attention by saying his or her name, and give a gentle touch
• Speak slowly and clearly
• Use a lower tone of voice
• Use unspoken communication like pointing, gesturing or touch
• Write things down, if needed
• If he or she has a hearing aid, encourage the person to wear it; check the battery often

If the person has difficulty seeing:
• Avoid startling the person
• Don 't make loud noises or sudden movements
• Identify yourself as you approach the person
• Tell the person of your intentions before you begin
• Use large-print or audiotape materials, if available
• If he or she has glasses, encourage the person to wear them; keep them clean and have the prescription checked regularly