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Forgetfulness and the Aging Brain: What Is Actually “Normal”?
Do you often misplace your keys or forget names? You walk into the kitchen and open the refrigerator only to wonder what you wanted. Does this happen to you? Well, it happens to many of us and may arouse fear or concern about our cognitive wellbeing.
You might wonder: Am I aging? Is my brain losing its power?
According to experts at Alzheimer’s care center in Athens, in today’s times when doctors talk about the increasing occurrence of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease in older and younger people, it is but natural to feel concerned about forgetfulness.
However, experts reassure that an aging brain does not always mean a disease.
A simple case of forgetting your keys or name is normal. If you are 60+ and often forget names, accept it as part of healthy aging, say doctors at a reputable memory care center.
Yet, you must know what is normal and what needs attention. This can help you stay confident, happy, and peaceful rather than become anxious in every small bout of forgetfulness.
Names and Dates: Why It’s Normal to Take Longer to Recall a Familiar Name but Remember It Later
Difficulty in recalling dates or names is a common concern among seniors. It often happens that you recognize somebody by face, but fail to recall their name. Interestingly, you suddenly remember the name after a few minutes or even hours!
This can be embarrassing for some, but is certainly not alarming, say experts at dementia care center in Northeast Georgia.
According to medical research, aging makes the brain a bit sluggish in retrieving information stored in it. The memory is there, but it takes longer to recall it.
A sign of healthy aging is: you are able to recall the information even if it is delayed. This is different from complete forgetting, which may be a matter of concern.
Alarmign signs include:
Complete forgetfulness
You are unable to recognize a familiar person and cannot recall even after some time
You frequently forget you have had a meal and cannot recall when you had it
You ask same questions repeatedly without being aware that you have asked them before
Note: Slow retrieval of memory is a part of healthy aging. Perishing of a particular memory can be a matter of concern.
The Power of Routine: How Healthy Aging Adults Use Tools Like Calendars and Notes to Stay Sharp
Using calendars, reminder tools, and notes is NOT a sign of brain weakness. Instead, it is a smart way for seniors to keep their brain sharper.
In today’s technological dependence age, it’s acceptable to not remember numbers and other information. We mostly rely on our smart gadgets and apps to remind us.
So, it’s okay to keep a daily planner, or stick notes on your refrigerator, or set reminders on your phone. According to memory care experts, this, in turn, helps in healthy aging and keeps your routine more structured.
Note: A consistent routine can benefit immensely in reducing cognitive decline and in supporting independence for seniors or those under Alzheimer’s care.
Cognitive Strengths That Grow with Age: What the Brain Keeps—and Builds—Over Time
Experts have come up with an interesting revelation:
It is true that the brain may slow down in recalling memory with age, but at the same time, certain aspects of the cognitive function stay stable or strengthen with age!
A few examples of cognitive strengthening in seniors include:
Emotional intelligence
Vocabulary
Pattern recognition
Good understanding of complicated situations
Power of perception, I.e., sensing things before they are said or seen
Making better decisions
Note: Senior’s brains may take more time to process an information, but their interpretation of the information is often accurate and comes from life experience. That’s why we trust seniors while taking advice.
The truth is: The aging brain operates in a different manner, not in a diminished manner.
When to Simply Take a Breath: The Role of Stress, Poor Sleep, and Multitasking
We can’t always blame aging for forgetfulness. Factors like poor sleep, poor nutrition, consistent stress, consistent multitasking, and trauma can also impair memory, and this can happen at any age.
An overloaded brain cannot function well. Moreover, as memory care experts put in, when a brain was unable to register an information fully, how can it recall it properly? This may look like forgetfulness, but is not.
You may have a sharp memory, but when you don’t pay attention to an information, it does not get embedded in the brain properly. Then, when you try to recall, your brain struggles.
Seniors may get affected by this, as, with age, sleep patterns change, health status change, or they may not be eating nutritious meals or may be under stress.
According to Alzheimer’s care experts, before you conclude that your parent or grandparents have a memory issue, pause and reflect on the above mentioned factors. If any one or more of them are present in your beloved’s life, then it is highly likely that their so-called “forgetfulness” is due to the factors, and not a disease.
When to seek professional help?
Warning signs that demand professional help include:
Finding it a challenge to follow normal routines
Forgetting a recent event or information completely
Getting lost in known places
Change in behavior, personality, and thinking pattern
Reluctance in accepting memory problem
The above signs may be an onset of dementia. Your beloved may need memory care after thorough evaluation and diagnosis. Please do not ignore them, as they tend to be progressive.
Haven Memory Care - person-centered care for seniors
Haven Memory Care is a memory care community in Northeast Georgia, Athens. We offer individualized support woven with understanding, compassion, and dignity.
As Dr. Mike Wasserman, former President of the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine, puts it: “It is only by knowing a person that you can figure out what matters to them.”
Change in memory is a part of aging, but so is adaptability, resilience, and finding meaning in every moment. The right support given through the right perspective can help seniors age gracefully, even if they require memory care. For, as long as you are alive, the brain has its power.
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