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memory loss

memory-issues-after-50-caregiver-support
September 14, 2022
Senior care
Horizon

Common Memory Issues After 50

Forgetfulness and slower retrieval of information is a common symptom of aging and isn’t necessarily a sign of any underlining or neurological issues but also can be linked to dementia.

Knowing whether something is a common sign of aging or dementia, we must understand how we remember things, the difference between dementia and forgetfulness, and potential reasons you might forget.

Memory Function

When we remember something, it can be broken down into three different levels.

  • Encoding- when we first receive information, our brain creates a mental note, which, in a sense, etches the memory into our mind.
  • Consolidation- after receiving information, noteworthy key points are taken out and stored in our memory.
  • Retrieval- Remembering information received prior.

Age-Related Memory Loss

It is normal to misplace keys, blank on a name, or get turned around when recalling directions. As you get older, your recall time becomes slower. These are typical signs of aging and, on their own, don’t signify any underlining issue.

Dementia

Dementia is something that interferes with your day to day life. Beyond just misplacing keys, it would be repeating the same story within the same conversation, unable to remember details about yourself such as your name or the activity you are partaking in.

Mild Cognitive Impairment 

According to the Mayo Clinic, mild cognitive impairment is the stage between the expected decline associated with aging and the more severe decline related to dementia. Once mild cognitive impairment has started, it can either get worse and eventually lead to dementia.

Stay the same without getting any worse or better as an ordinary sign of aging, or you could develop mild cognitive impairment than, over time, see symptoms improve. There are many links with health and medications concerning memory, so improving reversible effects may be a way to stop the mental decline. The greater degree of memory loss, the greater your risk for developing dementia is.

What is Reversible 

Some things that put you at risk for dementia and mild cognitive impairment are reversible. These include:

  • Depression

If you know you are depressed, work towards improvement. If working on your own is ineffective or incredibly difficult. Get help of a friend or therapist.

  • Vitamin B12 Deficiency

According to Web MD Vitamin B-12 helps make your DNA and red blood cells. Some symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency include memory loss.

  • Thyroid Issues

According to the Mayo Clinic, Hypothyroidism and underachieve thyroid gland can result in forgetfulness. A tumor or infection in the thyroid can also cause memory problems or dementia-like symptoms.

  • Alcohol Abuse

Drinking too much can affect both short and long-term memory and eventually lead to permanent memory loss. Alcohol can destroy nerve cells in the brain, and people who abuse alcohol often are deficient in vitamin B-1. This is essential to providing energy to the mind (How Alcohol is Linked To Memory Loss By Rachel Nall)

Use it Or Lose it

Studies show that exercising your brain and working on your memory can reduce your risks of getting dementia.

How To Improve Memory

Other than handling your health issues. Below are additional tips for improving your memory and exercising your brain.

Focus Attention

Do one thing at a time and avoid interruptions. Keep your mind active on the task at hand. This can improve your memory.

Reduce Stress

Practice self-care and eat a healthy diet as a way to improve memory and brain function. Stress affects memory formation and retrieval.

Structure Environment

Have a schedule set to help you remember when you are supposed to do certain things. This is freeing your active mind to focus on recalling other details.

After 50, it is normal to be not as sharp as you used to be. Overall, there are things in and out of our control. By practicing and increasing the list of things within our control, we can better prevent developing more serious memory problems in the future.

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memory-loss-elder-care-services-west-palm-beach-gardens
January 19, 2022
Health
Horizon

Is This Memory Loss Normal?

Maybe you forgot to pay your water bill this month. Or maybe you can’t seem to remember the name of your new neighbor who just introduced themselves yesterday. Is this normal? Or should you be concerned?

According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), as we grow older, some memory loss is completely normal, especially once you pass the age of 50. So, if you forget a name, or appointment every now and then, it’s no reason to rush over to the doctors or to be worried.

But Alzheimer’s is a very real, and concerning disease, and it can be difficult to distinguish between what types of memory loss are normal and which to be concerned about.

The NIA recommends watching for the symptoms listed below as signs that your memory loss is something abnormal.

  1. Asking the same question repeatedly in the same setting

Do people often say that you just asked that question? Or maybe that they just finished explaining to you and you’re asking again? This may be affecting your everyday life more than you know as it may be taking more time to accomplish tasks.

Not only that, but you may find people don’t want to be around you anymore because they find it annoying to explain the same thing over and over again. If this is something you experience, it may be time to talk to your doctor as this can be a sign of a serious memory impairment.

  1. Getting lost somewhere familiar

If you find yourself lost driving a route that you’ve driven hundreds of times before or even if you can’t seem to find your way out of your neighborhood supermarket, this is not a good sign. Getting lost in familiar places is a symptom of a number of memory impairments such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and it can be dangerous, especially if you are unable to find your way home.

  1. Following instructions becomes difficult

Everyone knows the struggle of assembling something while following the cryptic instructions you find in the box. But this isn’t about being unable to put something together, this is when you read a step of the instructions, go to follow it, but then find you’ve already forgotten the step you were supposed to perform. This is a sign of short-term memory loss which is a definite sign of a larger underlying memory impairment.

  1. Confusion regarding the time, the place, or people you should recognize

This final symptom can be hard to watch out for when it comes to taking care of your own health because by the time you can’t recognize familiar people or places that you should, you probably have a severe memory impairment. This symptom also could include mixing up words which shouldn’t be confused, for example asking for juice when you wanted a blanket. This fourth sign is something more for those of you reading this that suspect a friend or family is suffering from memory decline. Regardless, if this sign rings true for you or someone else, it’s definitely time to seek professional help.

Memory loss can be scary, but it’s important to remember that not all memory loss is an immediate death sentence like Alzheimer’s, in fact you could just be suffering from something known as MCI or Mild Cognitive Impairment.

MCI is classified as losing items often, difficulty “finding” words, and forgetting appointments. Additionally, memory loss can be caused by a number of things besides ageing, such as medication, depression, or even an infection.

So, it’s important not to be scared when you have memory issues, but rather reach out for help to try and find the cause. Talk to your doctor.

And always keep in mind that simply missing an appointment or misplacing something every once in a while, is okay, and no reason to be worried.

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cognitive-decline-caregiver-support
January 7, 2022
Uncategorized
Horizon

Managing Age-Related Cognitive Decline

A slower recall of information is an effect that comes with aging. However, there is a certain point where it is past normal and could be a sign of something more serious. The range on what would be considered average memory loss and dementia or other health-related illnesses varies a bit depending on genetics.

Overall, there are ways to reduce your risks, and cognitive decline or having memory problems isn’t an immediate sign of dementia or health-related illnesses. Still, it could be increasing your risk of contracting one.

Cognitive Health

Cognitive health refers to how you think, learn, and remember. As you age, your risk for memory-related illnesses and conditions increases, so it’s essential to pay attention to what is going on, talk to your doctor, and reduce your risk.

Memory

There is memory loss that comes from the natural process of aging and memory loss caused by more severe conditions. Examples would be occasionally forgetting where you left things, forgetting names of acquaintances, and becoming easily distracted. It becomes more serious when it affects the way you function in your day to day life. The big difference between normal aging and dementia is the degree to which it affects your day-to-day life.

Exercise

Exercising will increase the oxygen to your brain and reduce the risk of memory loss and other disorders. It also releases chemicals that reduce stress hormones.

Managing High Blood Pressure

Controlling high blood pressure will help your brain and heart. According to the National Institute Of Aging, studies have shown that high blood pressure in your 40s-60s increases the risk for cognitive decline as you age. By lowering blood pressure, your risk for cognitive impairment decreases, decreasing your risk of getting dementia.

Eating Healthy Foods

According to Harvard University, eating healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and fish improves your blood vessels’ health, which reduces the risk for stroke, which damages your memory.

Stay Connected 

Stay connected with friends or the people around you, isolation can lead to dementia, and being around others is good for our mental and physical health.

Manage Stress 

By getting enough sleep, exercising, doing yoga, and all-around doing things to relax, we can successfully manage and limit our stress. On their own, stress, anxiety, and depression can cause memory loss. By making these symptoms more manageable, you can eliminate a factor of cognitive decline.

Sleep

Adults should be getting, on average, 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Research indicates that poor sleep is a risk factor for cognitive decline (Impact of Sleep on The Risk Of Cognitive Decline and Dementia by Adam P. Spira et al.).

Stop Smoking

Another risk factor is smoking. When you smoke, you reduce the amount of oxygen going to your brain. According to WebMD, studies have shown that people who smoke find it more difficult to match names to faces than people who don’t smoke.

The Take-Aways

All in all, there is an average level of cognitive decline that goes along with aging and other symptoms that increase the risk of developing dementia. Memory loss isn’t an immediate sign of something more severe, but it should be looked at and figured out.

Health risks such as high blood pressure can also cause memory loss and so can certain medications, a mixture of different drugs, stress, lack of sleep, and smoking. It is vital to eliminate or reduce these other risks but consult a doctor before you stop taking medications.

By managing and reducing these risks, you may see an improvement in your memory. You can also exercise and train your brain to keep these skills sharp and reduce the effects of age-related cognitive decline.

Sources:

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/management-age-related-cognitive-decline

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4906299/

Mild Cognitive Impairment

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memory-loss-in-seniors-palm-beach-gardens-caregivers
December 16, 2021
Uncategorized
Horizon

Active Seniors: Dealing With Memory Loss

Memory loss is often a normal and accepted part of ageing. But it can be hard to deal with constantly forgetting small things like where you put your keys and the appointment you were supposed to go to on Tuesday. There are many ways to deal with memory loss, especially in the early stages. And even if your memory loss is more advanced, there’s still plenty of activities you can safely do to stay active.

Keep Your Memory Sharp

As soon as you begin to notice the first signs of memory loss (usually classified as increased forgetfulness) it’s important to take action to prevent further memory loss from occurring. Start downloading brain teasers to your phone or tablet and playing them in your free time. You can also purchase physical brain teasers if that’s more your style.

You should consider taking a class to learn a new skill as this creates new pathways in the brain. Perhaps a ballroom dance class if you are physically able, or maybe a cooking class if that’s more your forte. If you aren’t able to spend much time on your feet, look into a local painting or art class.

At the early stages of memory loss, it’s also important to spend time with other people. Simply talking through events can help solidify your memory of them. It’s also crucial that you maintain a healthy diet end eliminate any alcohol or nicotine from your life as they only serve to increase the speed of memory loss.

Besides just eating well, incorporate foods with high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids into your diet as these have proven in studies to help keep the brain sharp. Ensure you also set up an appropriate exercise routine for yourself, whether this is something as simple as a walk around the block every afternoon, or perhaps a senior aerobics class at your local gym—and who knows, you might just meet new friends along the way!

Advanced Memory Loss

Unfortunately, most types of memory loss are irreversible. But this doesn’t mean there aren’t activities you can do to help keep it from getting worse. For those of you who find yourselves losing items often, try having a special place for all your most important things (phone, wallet, keys) and whenever you set things in that place, vocalize that you are doing so.

This way your brain will have multiple inputs (hearing, sight, and touch) and hopefully remember at least one aspect when you need these items later.

Even if you are confined to your home, this doesn’t mean you should stop being active. In fact, it’s recommended you continue to do the things you love. Order a puzzle, do a craft, or sing a favorite song. Although it may be difficult to exercise (especially if you can’t leave the area) consider planting a garden, or if you don’t have access to the outside, research plants which can be grown inside and take time repotting them in decorative pots.

Household chores such as vacuuming, folding laundry, and organizing drawers can also be a great work out as well. If you’re less mobile, try reading new books or magazines and reading them aloud when you do.

A good mental exercise with those with advanced memory loss is sorting objects, such as cards or beads, by color. Even following a new recipe to bake treats in a mental activity that can help you keep your mind active.

No matter the level of your memory loss, giving up and watching TV is never the answer. No matter what your lifestyle, or favorite activity, there are ways to adjust it to be able to do it from home. And above all, take all the steps you can to keep your mind active—in order to slow, and prevent, further loss of memory.

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