Signs of Memory Loss

Memory loss is an unfortunate part of the aging process and can be a difficult issue for the affected person and the aging family member or friend. Memory loss often occurs after some form of brain trauma or from a degenerative disease that slowly affects proper brain functioning.

Normal Memory Loss

• Over time, brain functioning tends to decrease with aging as the body begins to deteriorate. Normal signs of memory loss include simple forgetfulness, such as forgetting the keys. Additionally, you can expect people to have trouble remembering street names, people's names, and events. This is typical for the aging process, as long it does not have a significant effect on the person's life.

Abnormal Memory Loss

• You should worry about an aging relative if their forgetfulness impedes his ability to perform daily functions, such as self-care. Your relative or friend no longer remembers to brush his teeth or pay his bills. The person consistently requires notes to remind himself to perform daily activities. Abnormal memory loss also expresses itself in the person's demeanor because he often becomes more irritable, depressed, suspicious, or worried.

  People who have suffered memory loss due to brain trauma have more acute signs. The person can have complete memory loss, which is easy to identify. The person may exhibit signs of anterograde amnesia, which occurs when the person cannot recall recent events, but have past memories intact. Finally, brain trauma can cause retrograde amnesia, which prevents the person from creating new memories following the trauma.

Symptoms of Degenerative Memory Loss

• The Alzheimer's Association identifies 10 signs of memory loss:

  1. Memory Changes that Affect Daily Life: This involves forgetting newly learned information or asking for the same information repeatedly, such as forgetting an important appointment.
  2. Challenges in Planning or Solving Problems: Difficulty concentrating, following recipes, or solving simple math problems.
  3. Difficulty Completing Familiar Tasks: Forgetting the rules to a favorite game or directions to familiar places.
  4. Confusion with Time or Place: Confusing the days of the week or how they arrived at a certain location.
  5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships: Difficulty in reading or recognizing contrasts in color.
  6. New problems with words in speaking or writing: The person may lose track of the conversation or struggle with simple vocabulary.
  7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
  8. Poor or Decreased Judgment: Often occurs with poor decision making with money.
  9. Engage in Fewer Social Activities: Participate less in recreation, hobbies or sports that they had once enjoyed.
  10. Changes in Mood and Personality: Become suspicious, moody, easily upset, or confused.