What did I eat last night? When memory problems go beyond the usual forgetfulness
- Soumya Khadye
- Jun 12, 2024
- 2 min read
Everyone forgets things sometimes. It's a part of life to not remember where you put your keys every so often. As your brain and body age, things like decreased blood flow, a natural deterioration of the hippocampus (the part of your brain that handles memory), and a decline of regulatory hormones all contribute to memory loss.
So what is normal? Signs of normal forgetfulness with age include small memory lapses, forgetting certain words, or getting lost after being told directions. In all of these instances, forgetting is mildly frustrating but not quit so severe that it would disturb your daily routine. Additionally, your judgement and decision-making will not be affected and you should be able to remember that you have forgotten something (even if you don't necessarily know what it is). However, when your forgetfulness is severely impairing your daily life, that is when it is time to visit a doctor.
When you forget essential details of your life repeatedly, such as where you were, what you ate, who you've interacted with, etc., those are signs of memory loss. Memory loss is often, but not always, a sign of dementia or other degenerative diseases. It can also occur due to physical trauma, such as concussions, or other medical conditions, like brain tumors. While there is no feasible way to avoid these types of memory loss once it has occurred, it is certainly possible to dodge its accelerator - stress and depression. Constantly remaining engaged in activity throughout the elderly years can help with preventing further memory loss. Ensuring that you are living a satisfying life and doing activities that make you feel joyful can help drive away cognitive decline. Here are some suggestions as to what you or your caretakers can do to get started:
For the patient:
Learn new things
Do puzzles or other cognitive activities!
Stay connected!
Sleep, exercise, and eat
Seek help if you need it!
Check out the resources page for fun activities!
For the caretaker:
Show the patient familiar objects and encourage them to remember, but do not force them
Write down important information so the patient does not forget
Check out the interviews page for insights as to how other caretakers engaged with their patients!
Links:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/memory-loss-and-forgetfulness/memory-problems-forgetfulness-and-aging
pennmedicine.org/for-patients-and-visitors/patient-information/conditions-treated-a-to-z/memory-loss
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