What is Normal Age-Related Memory Loss?

 Ageing and memory loss are often correlated, because you may have seen elders finding it hard to remember and recall things. Mild forgetfulness or age-related forgetfulness is a normal phenomenon in elderly persons. More often, when one ages, he/she goes through a series of physiological changes that include changes in brain functioning as well. 

So, normal forgetfulness is a common thing to happen with elders, particularly after 50 years of age. Therefore, elders may face short-term memory loss issues, such as finding it hard to recall where they place keys, medicines, or phone numbers.

Furthermore, normal age-related memory loss does not hamper daily life activities, and more often, an elderly adult recalls the forgotten information later on. However, some elderly adults are facing severe mental impairment or memory loss caused by age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, a known form of Dementia.

What are the Signs of Normal Age-Related Memory Loss? 

Lapses in memory, like finding it hard to remember or recall numbers, names, dates, days, etc., are normal signs of ageing. These indicators are normal signs of mental weakness due to ageing and need no worries. Highlighting some of the main normal age-related memory loss symptoms below:

• Elderly people may forget where they place their daily-use items like eyeglasses, keys, walking sticks, etc.
•    People over 65 may find it difficult to remember or recall the names of their grandchildren. Moreover, they sometimes call grandchildren by a similar name or each other's name.
• Ageing may also cause forgetfulness, such as not remembering the exact date or day. Sometimes, elders may forget the date of an appointment with a doctor or therapist.
•  Age-related memory loss signs also include not remembering new information or recalling a conversation after some time.
• Elderly adults also find it difficult to memorize any reading material. You may also find your elder parents struggling with recalling information that used to be on the tip of their tongue earlier.
• Furthermore, many cognitive abilities remain unaffected despite the ageing effects. Likewise, knowledge and wisdom acquired throughout the lifespan remain the same.

·         Elderly adults’ common sense or ability to reason and judgment don’t get affected by ageing.

Causes of Normal Age-Related Memory Loss 

1. Ageing causes memory loss, which is the primary reason. But there are some basic causes that also lead to memory deterioration among elderly people. Some of the main reasons are:
2.   Deteriorating abilities of the hippocampus, a region in the brain, are the main reason for lapses in memory among older adults. The region is responsible for retaining and recalling information; thus, a reduction in abilities results in a kind of short-term memory loss.
3.  Declines in various hormones that are important to repair some brain cells cause mental weakness. A deficiency of protein or other minerals that help in neural growth is another cause of age-related memory loss.
4. A decrease in blood flow to the brain due to ageing is another factor that causes age-related memory loss.

Normal Age-Related Memory Loss Vs Dementia 

You may have often heard the term “Dementia” when it comes to memory loss issues in older adults. But Dementia is a disease related to ageing that causes severe mental impairment. Memory lapses caused by ageing and cognitive impairment caused by Dementia have different signs and effects on an elder’s life. Dementia may cause memory loss up to the extent that an elderly person may forget directions to home, street names, and have trouble performing daily tasks, etc.

Making you understand the basic difference between age-related memory loss and Dementia. A table comprising symptoms and signs of both conditions follows below:

Symptoms of Age-Related Memory Loss	Signs of Dementia
Occasional memory lapses may happen. However, an elderly person performs daily tasks effectively.	Elders with Dementia find it difficult to perform daily activities easily. Elders may struggle with grooming, cleaning, or taking medicines.
Older adults with age-related memory issues are often capable of recalling forgotten information at some point in time.	Dementia causes severe mental impairment, and elderly people will not be able to recall most of the information.
Elders remember directions and similar places easily.	People with Dementia get lost in familiar places and are not able to follow directions.
Reasoning, decision-making, and thinking abilities are not affected by age-related memory loss	Your elder parents or family members behaving differently or not talking logically can be due to Dementia.
May take pauses but can complete a conversation. May not use appropriate words, but lead the conversation with reason and logic.	Often forget words and repeat words or phrases, thus leading to a disoriented conversation.
People with age-related memory loss live a normal life with their family. However, may need a bit of assistance with daily life activities.	Dementia hampers daily work, social activities, and family relationships.

 

When to Worry about Age-Related Memory Loss? 

Family caregivers may wonder when to seek professional help for memory problems in elders. There comes a stage between age-related memory loss and dementia, which is called “Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)”.  You need to consult a doctor or therapist when your older parents or a family member reaches this stage of mental condition. Now the question is, how to determine that a memory problem has reached the Mild cognitive impairment stage? The answer is to identify the symptoms.

Enlisted below are some of the symptoms associated with the mental condition called Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in elders.

•   Primary signs are problems in memory, language, thinking, and judgment. The intensity is usually higher than the issues caused by normal age-related memory loss.
•  Elders with Mild cognitive impairment may forget even the names of family members and those in close contact. Usually takes a longer time to recall or remember things associated with daily life activities.
• Frequently losing belongings or misplacing items is another sign of Mild cognitive impairment. Elders may find it difficult to recall or retain information about their belongings.
• MCI also causes issues like frequently forgetting conversations, appointments, or events. Even older adults may not remember days and dates.
• Mild cognitive impairment also hinders the ability to follow the flow of a conversation or use proper words.
• Learning and retaining new information is also difficult for older people suffering from Mild cognitive impairment.

Therefore, the above symptoms or signs are an indication that the memory health of your beloved, aged family member is deteriorating. In addition, the above symptoms are a sign that the next stage is Dementia, a severe mental condition that hampers most of the cognitive abilities. Thus, seeking help from a doctor or professional therapist at this stage is a must to maintain mental health among elders.

Ageing-Related Memory Loss: Things to Do 

Age-related memory loss may seem a normal thing in older adults. But ignoring the frequency of forgetting can lead to more problems. Mild cognitive impairment often leads to Alzheimer’s disease. Quoting data from the “Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2020”, around 5.8 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease in the United States alone. Alzheimer’s disease, a common type of Dementia causes severe mental issues in elderly people. So, taking care of memory issues at an early stage is essential to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Furthermore, several options can be adopted to fight age-related memory loss. Continue reading to have insight into some of the techniques that prove beneficial to maintain a healthy mental state among older adults. Here are some tips.

Engaging In Social Activities

Engaging in social activities or remaining social is important to remain in a healthy state of mind. When it comes to elderly people, communicating with family members and friends helps in fighting memory loss. An active social life means less stress and eliminates the feeling of isolation.

Mental Exercise or Brain Exercise 

Brain exercise helps to maintain optimal mental health as physical exercise does with your body. Notably, older adults can adopt various methods of brain exercise. Playing an unfamiliar game that involves tasks can be a good brain exercise. Daily reading of newspapers, magazines, and books can also prove helpful. Similarly, learning a new skill like playing a musical instrument or learning a new language can help to improve brain functioning. Additionally, being involved in any task that requires planning is also suggested to combat age-related memory loss.

Follow a Healthy Routine and Eat Well 

Following a healthy daily routine is essential to deal with several age-related issues. Daily walks to a park can help in maintaining both physical and mental health. Having enough sleep is also important to restore and maintain healthy neural growth. Adopting a healthy and nutritious diet compensates for the deficiency of brain-related hormones. Thus, helps in maintaining good mental health.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, age-related memory loss is a normal phenomenon.  Ageing causes multiple physiological changes in the body and brain. One among them is memory lapses that cause normal forgetfulness. However, age-related memory loss does not hamper the daily life activities of elderly people. Older people may find it difficult to remember or recall some information, like names, dates, events, or words, fluently. Therefore, family care or elderly care is ideal for combating most age-related issues.