Forgetting is something that happens to us at any age. It’s absolutely normal to forget. For instance, you reminded your child to take out the trash this morning, but by the time you get home, they say, “they simply forgot.” As an adult, how many times have you forgotten where you put your keys or your cellphone?There are lots of reasons why you may forget. A busy day at work can cause you to forget to pick up your husband’s dry cleaning or the t-bone steak he requested for dinner. Finding yourself forgetting every now and then is no cause for alarm.
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Why Do I Forget?
Each of us will have unique reasons for being forgetful. For instance, the medicine you’re taking could be causing mild forgetfulness. Slight forgetfulness can be a result of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
You may have a hard time learning new things or notice an uptick in forgetting where you last put things.
For others, forgetfulness is just a part of growing older. Simply put, the mind is not as sharp as it once was. Other factors of forgetting include lifestyle habits like doing drugs, drinking, or a lack of exercising the mind. Are you worried you or a loved one are significantly forgetting?
When Should I Worry About Forgetfulness?
There is a level of forgetfulness that’s cause for alarm. When should you be worried about forgetting? If you experience changes in your memory, your forgetfulness could be an indication of a medical condition. According to Healthline, “there are mild forms of age-related forgetfulness.”[
For example, forgetting what day of the week it is, but remembering later is normal as we age. Consequently, a decline in your thinking skills is a medical condition which should be addressed by your doctor right away and is amble cause for an individual to seek professional help.
What Is Dementia?
According to the Mayo Clinic, “dementia is a loss of cognitive functioning.” An estimated 3 million American’s are diagnosed with the syndrome each year.
In fact, dementia is a serious mental decline that’s is not a part of aging although it mainly impacts older adults. The syndrome can also have an impact on your social skills. Adult suffer’s are diagnosed by a physician and given a prescription medication regimen to manage their dementia.
What Is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s is also known as senile dementia because it shares common characteristics with dementia and is also a disease. It gradually destroys your memory and other important human functions. Primarily, older adults age 60 years and older suffer from Alzheimer’s, but in rare cases some individual’s are diagnosed with the disease in their early 40’s.
There are warning signs of Alzheimer’s that will be discussed in the next section. Once Alzheimer’s has become moderate, many adults are no longer able to care for themselves and are cared for by a loved one or at a medical facility.
Dementia vs Alzheimer’s: What Are The Warning Signs
Dementia
- Repetitious behavior
- Decreased ability to complete everyday tasks
- Frequently getting lost
- Increased forgetfulness of the time or place
- Abnormal or troublesome behavior
Alzheimer’s
- Increased memory loss/state of confusion
- Increased difficulty handling new situations
- Loss of cognitive skills (i.e. reading, writing, speech, etc.)
- Inability to think logically
- Decreased attention span
The difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s is; dementia has subtle warning signs while Alzheimer’s symptoms manifest quickly. However, they both impact your cognitive skills and require a diagnosis by a medical professional. Each individual will have unique symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s while the characteristics are often the same.
Take a look at the short video clip below to see how Alzheimer’s affects the brain:
Ways To Prevent Dementia or Alzheimer’s
An online article from WebMD suggests, “you want to use prevention techniques to avoid getting dementia and Alzheimer’s as early as possible.”[
- Exercise. Exercise is on the top of the list for preventing the disease. A total of 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week is highly recommended. This means a walk around your neighborhood, jogging, or a fitness routine is a great way to prevent the symptoms of the illness. The idea is getting blood flow to the brain which keeps the brain healthy.
- Exercise Your Brain. It’s important to challenge your brain. Medical experts suggest keeping your brain active. Always strive to keep learning to keep your brain active. Crossword puzzles are a great way to challenge your mind to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s. The goal is stimulating your mind for proper prevention.
- Healthy Diet. A healthy diet is one of the simplest ways to prevent dementia syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. A heart healthy diet like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the best foods for preventing increased symptoms of either illness. Limit the amount of processed foods and saturated foods you intake as prevention techniques also.
Research also suggests avoid all forms of tobacco and alcohol. Plus, keep an active update on your sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure as a prevention strategy.
Can Dementia And Alzheimer’s Be Cured?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia can only be managed with medical care and prescription medicine.
Because there is no cure, it’s imperative to follow the steps for prevention. In its early stages, you can still use prevention techniques to manage dementia and Alzheimer’s, but as the symptoms progress, dementia and Alzheimer’s become life threatening and often times, result in a fatality.
Both dementia and Alzheimer’s have an impact on the brain. The impact that it has on the brain is what interferes with your cognitive awareness and has the most impact on the sufferer. It’s imperative to get diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. There is still active research being done on dementia and Alzheimer’s to learn more about it’s impact on diagnosed individual’s
If you or someone you love is suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s, it’s imperative to talk to your doctor right away. Neither illness can be cured, so early detection and treatment is your best defense.
