The most frequent question I am asked is “What can I do to improve my memory?” The answer depends upon which type of memory you want to improve. Practice, repetition, study, modeling, and imitation can all improve long-term memory. Long-term memory involves reinforcing what is already stored in the brain. It works like a muscle and strengthens and endures from use. Short-term memory is a different issue. Short-term memory is the process of storing new information. It requires learning and is demonstrated by memory or skills that will be demonstrated at some future time. This memory system does not work like a muscle. It usually takes time and effort to learn new things. You remember best those things when you slow down, attend to, think about something. Hence anything given less than one minute of thought will fade from your […]
Archive for May, 2014
How does caregiving unfold over time? Diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease evolve over time – usually decades. The person who is forgetful can manage early changes in memory. But as the disease progresses, there is an increasing need for external guidance, prompts, and caregiving as the problems extend beyond just forgetfulness. There are seven general stages of memory loss per the global deterioration scale. The following presents general needs for care at each stage. Stage one – normal. This is the stage that we all hope to stay. There are the typical “senior moments.” No caregiving is needed. Stage two – forgetfulness. In this stage there is minor consistent forgetfulness and the person in this stage is typically aware that there are changes. There may be an incident or pattern that raises minor concerns. There is no need for caregiving […]
There is treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Realistically, Alzheimer’s gives ample time to be proactive. It is a slowly progressive neurological disease that unfolds over the course of several decades. Treatment involves being proactive rather than reactive. These are the steps we all need to take beginning now. Assessment. We all have wellness plans that are managed through annual physicals with our physicians. We need to include annual memory assessment by a memory expert as a part of this plan. The assessment should, at the minimum, thoroughly assess short-term memory by means of a challenging, standardized memory test and be administered by a memory expert. Treat short-term memory before it changes. We seem to lose track of the fact that we took notes in school to manage short-term memory. It never worked like a muscle. It takes time, focus, and effort […]
The AARP Bulletin ran an interesting title in April, “Am I losing my mind?” This article is in response to the growing paranoia about memory fed by the news that the rate of Alzheimer’s is rising and that many more die of Alzheimer’s than are reported in official statistics. It’s no wonder that if I have a senior moment, I briefly consider whether I am on the slippery path to dementia. Dementia is a generic term that refers to more than just memory loss. Dementia is a permanent, irreversible and, in some cases, progressive decline in brain skills that interferes with independent living – hence produces disability. There are a multitude of possible causes of dementia. Among sudden causes are stroke and head injury. Slow onset progressive causes include Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body disease, and Huntington’s chorea. You can have […]
We are all subject to random bouts of forgetting. Where did I park my car? I forgot my grocery list. Why am I in this room? These complaints increase with age and are the source of both jokes about senior moments and serious fear of developing Alzheimer’s disease. However, there is a huge difference between the increasing inefficiencies in memory resulting from aging and memory loss and dementia. The fears have produced a burgeoning business in brain training programs such as Lumosity. Lumosity has about 50 million users and is the best known of these programs. It promises to improve attention and the capacity to learn. Strong promises if short-term memory begins to fail. The Centers for Medicare Services is exploring whether to pay for memory fitness training, which would create a boom market for these services. But does brain […]
