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Normal Memory & Aging Maintaining Healthy Memory and Understanding Changes that Occur as We Age

Normal Memory & Aging Maintaining Healthy Memory and Understanding Changes that Occur as We Age. Kathleen Houseweart, MBA Sarasota Memorial Hospital Memory Disorder Clinic Sponsored by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Normal Aging & Memory. Slower recall

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Normal Memory & Aging Maintaining Healthy Memory and Understanding Changes that Occur as We Age

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  1. Normal Memory & AgingMaintaining Healthy Memory and Understanding Changes that Occur as We Age Kathleen Houseweart, MBA Sarasota Memorial Hospital Memory Disorder Clinic Sponsored by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs

  2. Normal Aging & Memory • Slower recall • More difficult to learn new information • Naming – finding the right words (vocabulary spared) • mental flexibility - more rigid thinking

  3. What is normal ? • Varies by education • Varies by situation • Varies by physical condition • Statistics show . . . .

  4. Dementia & Aging • 65 years old 2-4% • 70 years old 4-8% • 75 years old 8-16% • 80 years old 16-32% • 85 years old 32-64 % (about 1/2)

  5. What is not normal ? • Anything that interferes with normal daily activities • Anything that affects your quality of life • Anything that is progressive • Something that a friend or loved one notices as a change

  6. Difficulty in planning or following directions Repeating Questions Difficulty with familiar tasks Problems with communication – more than occasional word finding Changes in mood Loss of Initiative Things to look for

  7. How memory works • Encoding - Learning new information/making the memory • Storage - putting new information into memory / filing it into the cabinet • Retrieval - finding the information needed /finding it in the cabinet

  8. Why do we forget? • Encoding • Selective Attention • We filter our or ignore information (or have trouble hearing) • Storage • We never really learn it/never stored • Retrieval • Information stored inappropriately so it can’t be found when needed

  9. What affects memory ? • Medication • Alcohol use • Vitamin/dietary deficiency • Physical problems/pain • Depression • Anxiety & stress • Grief

  10. Improving Memory • Pay attention • More likely to remember something that has been given 8 seconds of attention • Repeat things/Rehearse • More likely to remember things that we see more than once • Chunk • More likely to remember manageable chunks of information (think phone #, SS #)

  11. Improving Memory • Use Cues • Mnemonic devices (HOMES) • Make associations • Use External Aids • GET ORGANIZED/establish routines • Take notes • Appointment books/Timers • GOOD HABITS trump a bad Memory

  12. Getting the Most from Your Brain • Check Hearing • Watch your weight • Exercise • Talk to your doctor about vascular disease and risk – HBP, Cholesterol, etc. • Eat vegetables • Reduce Background noise • Take your time

  13. Living Right • Reduce alcohol intake/stop smoking • Treat depression • Reduce stress • Eat right & exercise • Exercise your brain • Avoid Injury • wear helmet while biking and wear a seatbelt in the car

  14. Healthy Memory • Physical Fitness • Mental Fitness • Sense of control

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