We’re always forgetting where we put our keys, we can’t remember our children’s or grandchildren’s names and sometimes we’re not even sure what day it is.
Memory lapses from time to time are a fact of life as we get older.
But how do you know when your forgetfulness is a sign of the neurological disease dementia?
According to Dementia Bermuda, your memory loss is a possible symptom of dementia if it disrupts your daily life.
This can include forgetting recent events or important dates, repeatedly asking the same questions, or relying on people to handle things that you used to handle yourself.
The National Institute on Aging in the United States explains that it’s the frequency and severity of those frustrating moments which can indicate whether you’re showing signs of dementia.
Forgetting what day it is – and then remembering later – is an example of forgetfulness. Losing track of the date and time of year, on the other hand, is a possible symptom of dementia.
Other examples from the NIA include:
- Missing a monthly payment –sign of age-related forgetfulness.
- Problems taking care of monthly bills – sign of dementia.
- Occasionally forgetting which word to use – sign of age-related forgetfulness.
- Trouble having a conversation – sign of dementia.
- Losing things from time to time – sign of age-related forgetfulness.
- Misplacing things often and being unable to find them – sign of dementia.
The brain health technology company Optoceutics advises that if you’re concerned a loved one may be showing dementia, you should monitor their cognitive abilities such as reading, speaking and verbal intellectualising. If these cognitive functions show significant decline, it could be a sign of dementia.
These are the signs that mean you should consult a health professional:
- Constant memory loss or issues with daily activities.
- Behaviour that affects relationships, work or daily life.
- Change in behaviour, mood or personality.
- Cognitive decline or language issues.
Even if we don’t have dementia, other circumstances and conditions can cause us to experience memory loss as we get older. These include depression, lack of sleep, medications such as antihistamines and antidepressants, lack of vitamins E, D, B12, illnesses such as pneumonia and meningitis.
In these cases, you should visit a doctor for a complete medical examination and treat your condition, or adjust medication, as necessary. A well-balanced diet and daily supplements might help.
Optoceutics provides the following tips on managing forgetfulness:
- Write down important dates or information on a planner.
- Set up reminders on your phone, calendar or tablet to set up reminders.
- Repeat new information out loud to ingrain into your memory
- Use mnemonics such as rhyme, acronyms or associations.
- Physical exercise.
- Do brain-stimulating puzzles or word games.
