9 Ways to Cope with Memory Loss - Elder Care Cafe

With the growing number of baby boomers entering their senior years, we also see an increase in memory loss and related memory problems. This can be especially problematic if they live alone.

In the sixties and seventies, we had problems with my maternal grandparents. My grandfather died from complications of dementia in 1966. My grandmother was living in her longtime home far away from us after his death when a neighbor found her wandering down their country road with no idea where she was or where she was headed.

Many of us can become forgetful no matter how old we are. We especially can lose a thought or forget where we were headed even within our own home if we are under stress or extremely busy. But, the memory loss that seems to plague the elderly is often more than a busy or stressful lifestyle.

Cause of memory loss. Drugs or dementia ? knowing the difference can determine whether this is a temporary problem or a long term diagnosis. One of the first things you want to take a look at if your loved one is struggling with their memory is to determine if it is drug related or the beginning of a disease such as a form of dementia. Some drugs have a serious effect on memory. Your pharmacist or primary care physician can let you know if that is a possibility. The more drugs elders take, the more likely they will interact in a negative way. You will also want tests run that will show whether the memory loss is due to a much more serious reason.

Concentrate on the moment. When we are busy or under stress, any of us can have trouble remembering details. One way we can help our loved one, and ourselves, is by concentrating on what we are doing at that moment. If your mind has ever wandered while you were doing something and you lost track of where you were going or what you were going to do next or even forgot an important item from a recipe, you will know what I mean. Staying focused on the task at hand will help your loved one complete that task without losing track of what they were doing. If they continue to have problems with concentrating on one thing at a time, they may have a deeper memory problem.

Repeat important information. When you are talking to your loved one, gently make sure they are paying attention to what you are saying. You may need to repeat yourself several times so that they will remember such things as what time supper is served, or that they have a doctor?s appointment that afternoon. When someone they know stops by, you may want to say the person?s name out loud first so as not to embarrass your parent in case they don?t remember who the person is even if they have known them for years.

Focus on routine movements. Even short term memory loss related to drugs can be dangerous to seniors. Leaving a kitchen stove on or forgetting that they are running water for a bath can cause serious problems. If they are in the habit of locking their door when they leave their home or at night when they go to bed, they must continue that routine in order to stay safe. Help them stay focused on their daily routine so that it is so ingrained in their memory that they perform these tasks by rote. When they start forgetting even the most routine tasks, they need to be seen by a physician for further evaluation.

Develop good habits. Developing good habits goes along with focusing on routines. The earlier seniors build good habits and establish routines, the longer those habits will serve them well when they start to have memory problems. Their subconscious memory will take over to a certain extent so that they can continue their daily life.

Develop a routine. One problem many seniors have is that they start skipping meals as they age. They are not as active as they used to be and they haven?t the appetite they had when they were young and active. If they have developed a specific time to eat each day, they will more than likely stick with that routine. My father eats three meals a day and has an evening snack before he goes to bed. I?ve not seen him miss or skip that routine in the six years I?ve been his caregiver.

Establish a schedule. Similar to developing a routine, establishing a schedule helps the elderly keep track of what day it is. Right now Dad has someone come in to give him a shower on Monday and Friday (increasing to Wednesday in a couple of weeks) and he goes to the senior center on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Although he is struggling with his memory, he always knows what day it is because of his routine. He gets up early in the morning to get ready for the van to pick him up for what I call Daddy Day Care without having to be told. That is one thing he very much enjoys and he does not forget!

Keep a detailed calendar. For many years my mother kept birthdays, appointments and anything else she wanted to remember on a wall calendar so that everyone in the family could see what was going on. As her dementia worsened, one of the last things to go was her calendar even if we couldn?t read what she wrote before dementia took its toll.

Take notes. Mom also kept a steno notebook nearby when she realized she was losing her memory. Everything went into that notebook so that she could remember what she wanted to tell people or who stopped by to visit on any given day. She had used this type of book for their travels for many years, so it had become a habit to write things down.

Hopefully these nine ways to cope with memory loss will give your family ideas on how you can help your loved one. Depending on what is causing their memory loss, these ideas may be a short term fix or may be able to help them through a very difficult long term struggle.

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