What is the Difference Between Normal forgetfulness and a More Serious Memory Loss Problem?
What’s the difference between normal, age-related forgetfulness and a serious memory problem? While it’s normal to forget things once in a while as we age, yet serious memory problems can make it hard to perform everyday tasks like household chores, driving, running errands and more. More serious memory loss is more than forgetting where you put your car keys, it can impact the ability to clearly think and learn.
Memory and other related thinking problems have many possible causes, including depression, an infection, or side effects of some medications.
Sometimes, memory problems can be treated, and cognition improves. Other times, the problem is a brain disorder, such as Alzheimer’s disease, which cannot be reversed.
Finding the cause of the problems is important for determining the best course of action. Once you know the cause, you can make the right treatment plan.
Your doctor can help you to determine whether you may just be dealing with memory loss or if there are other cognitive problems which need to be addressed.
Some signs that it might be time to talk to a doctor include:
- Asking the same questions over and over again
- Getting lost in places a person knows well
- Having trouble following recipes or directions
- Becoming more confused about time, people, and places
- Not taking care of oneself —eating poorly, not bathing, or behaving unsafely
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Home Care are an excellent resource for family caregivers and seniors alike.
Home Care services offer a wide range of services providing healthcare, daily living assistance, transportation to and from Doctor’s appointments and tailored care services for additional circumstances.