There was a time when heart disease was such an unknown concept that perfectly preventable deaths were part of a growing body count. Then the medical community launched such successful awareness campaigns that the newly well-educated public were flooding emergency rooms at any sign of chest pain. Many of these chest-pain cases were actually instances of indigestion or strained muscles (Although some really were cardiovascular issues and many lives were saved).

Alzheimer’s disease is the new heart disease. There was a time when people just thought forgetfulness was due to old age, and they were not receiving the medical attention they needed and deserved. But now the smallest example of forgetfulness is attributed to Alzheimer’s disease – and that’s just as bad. It’s bad because people are taking on a fatalistic mentality: Alzheimer’s is a fact of life, and it’s only a matter of time. It’s bad because people are giving up far too quickly and easily; they’re not differentiating normal moments of forgetting vs. actual dementia.

Dementia (and especially Alzheimer’s disease) follows clinical diagnostic criteria, which means there are classifications and qualifications for a person’s forgetfulness. For Alzheimer’s, there are three general levels of concern: 1) possible AD, 2) probable AD, and 3) confirmed AD. If there is any worry about which of these is applicable (either to yourself or a loved one), consult a neurologist and decide on a course of action.

A somewhat over-simplified distinction is: It’s perfectly normal to forget where the car/house keys last were, in fact, forgetting where the keys are has been a lifetime occurrence. Being 80 years old and forgetting once again is not a sign of dementia. However, if at an advanced age, someone begins to put the iron in the refrigerator – that’s cause for medical concern.