As your mother and father continue to age, are you finding that one of them is starting to lose interest in hobbies they always loved?
Grandpa losing interest in activities he once loved? Do not jump to conclusions – there might be more going on that you realize.
Apathy might not be the problem. And do not be so quick to blame the temperament of someone with old age.
A recent study out of in the journal Neurology suggests that something else might be afoot.
According to the study’s author, apathy in the elderly may actually be a sign of dementia. How so? The loss of interest may be a sign of shrinking amounts of grey and white matter in the brain.
Does that mean that all apathy in seniors is a sure sign of Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia? Definitely not. The key to look for? Ask yourself this one question. Does your loved one suffer from depression? According to research, seniors who experienced apathy WITHOUT depression is an indicator that the individual may be suffering from some sort of dementia.
There is still more research to conduct, but if you find your loved one lacking emotion, it might be time to schedule some time to visit with their doctor.
