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When did you last forget where you put your keys or glasses?
Have you remembered someone's face, but not their name?
Forgetfulness is frustrating. Many consider it a sign of
aging when, actually, older adults forget no more often than
younger people. They just place more significance on the
forgetfulness. Fears of dementia or Alzheimer's disease enter the
older person's thoughts when they can't remember something.
Dementia is the significant progressive loss of mental
abilities experienced by some older people. Symptoms include
impairment in thinking, learning, memory and judgment. Changes in
personality, mood and behavior also are present in dementia.
Simple forgetfulness is not a sign of--nor does it lead to--
dementia. It is part of the normal aging process. It can be
caused by stress, fatigue, grief or an overload of information.
The problem with forgetfulness usually is with recall, not
memory.
If you are concerned about forgetting things, ask yourself,
"How did I know I forgot?" The answer: "Because I remembered
later." In a dementing illness, such as Alzheimer's, memories
cannot be recalled because they have been erased forever from the
mind.
To improve your memory, you need first to increase your
sensory abilities. Use of the senses (vision, hearing, touch,
smell and taste) is the initial step of putting information into
memory. If you need them, wear prescription glasses and a hearing
aid. Have periodic checkups with your medical professional to be
sure your prescriptions are up to date and don't conflict with
each other.
Keep medications to a minimum. Both over-the-counter and
prescribed medications can affect memory, if taken improperly.
Take care of your physical health. Eat a well-balanced diet.
Poor nutrition makes it harder for the mind to receive and recall
information.
Get physical exercise. A physically fit body enhances the
mind and increases blood flow to the brain.
Keep mentally fit. The mind needs exercise, too. Take
classes, do crossword puzzles, play chess or cards, get involved
in community activities. The more you practice using your memory,
the better you become at retrieving information.
Depression affects thinking and memory. Evaluation and
treatment by a mental-health professional may be needed. Alcohol
can affect your thinking and memory, too.
Simple forgetfulness almost always is a case of not getting
information into long-term memory in the first place. To improve
the odds of remembering something later, reduce or eliminate
background/competing noises and other distractions when you need
to "store" information to memory.
Pay attention. Listen carefully and focus on what is being
said or what your read.
Develop aids to help you remember. Making lists or using a
calendar is helpful for some people. Get in the habit of always
putting your keys and glasses in the same place.
If you repeatedly lock your keys in your car, try the
following. After parking the car, before you open the door, and
as you take the keys from the ignition, say to yourself, "I feel
the keys in my hand and I'm putting them in my pocket or purse."
You'll have used your sense of feel and hearing to remember where
you've put the keys.
When you do temporarily forget a detail, be gentle with
yourself. Take a deep breath and remain calm and relaxed. Give
yourself time to remember. Stress makes it more difficult to
remember, so be patient with yourself.
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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