Families often turn to home care for their loved ones because they need some form of extra support or assistance. With age comes many changes. Older adults typically experience changes in their vision, hearing, memory, and appetite that are relatively normal. With memory and aging, in particular, it’s important to understand what is normal aging and when it’s time to see a doctor. This post talks about signs of memory loss that come as a result of age.
How Memory Shifts With Age
Memory is the ability to recall things that we’ve learned and retained through the years. This includes memories or experiences loved ones have had, as well as those made with family and friends. Expected changes in memory are subtle, usually. Some diseases or conditions can exacerbate these changes and make them more noticeable. Anxiety, depression, problems with sleep, heart disease, and tumors all play into memory problems with aging. Changes in memory can also be a side effect of certain medications.
Ways Memory Shifts as People Age
The subtle changes that occur with age are things like:
- Forgetting little things like keys, names, and dates at the moment, but you’re able to recall them later.
- Taking longer to learn new information.
The ability to recall information as you learn and retain it. - Word order and word comprehension
- Recalling names and words that are on the tip of the tongue
- Processing and reaction time.
In general, these changes shouldn’t be so significant that they disrupt daily life. If they do, consult a physician.
Memory Loss and Memory Problems
A lot of people go through their later years and experience very few memory issues. Approximately 40% of the population will experience some sort of memory loss after the age of 65. But even then, it shouldn’t be anything that significantly impacts the ability to live day-to-day life.
In these cases, the cause of what is called age-associated memory impairment. Not all memory loss is related to dementia, and it can be caused by a host of different factors. If you or your loved one does experience memory loss that is bothersome, talk to your physician to see if you can figure out what is causing it.
Older loved ones who have functional issues that extend beyond typical memory issues need extra care and support. Optimal Senior Care Solutions offers specialty care for seniors in Orange County, CA, who have Alzheimer’s and dementia. To learn more about the services we provide, reach out to us at (949) 535-2211!
