Forgetfulness is a common objection among older adults. You begin to talk about a movie you saw a moment ago once you recognize you cannot remember even the title. You are giving instructions to your house when you unexpectedly blank on a familiar street name. You find yourself standing in the middle of the kitchen doubting what you went in there for.
When we grow older, we experience bodily changes that can cause problems in brain functions we have always taken for granted. It takes time to learn and remember information. Actually, we normally mistake this slowdown of our mental processes for true memory loss. But normally if we give ourselves time, the information will arise to mind.
Losing keys, wallet or forgetting someone’s name are common practices. But for people about age 65 and above, such memory delays can be fearsome. They fear if they have Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, developing Alzheimer’s is a common fear of older adults.
Alzheimer’s disease is not a common part of aging, most older adults do not get Alzheimer’s diseases. Less than 1 in 5 people of age 65 and above and less than 50% of age 85 and above have the disease. Though, it is essential to understand that our brains transform over time, and it is helpful to be able to differentiate normal changes from those that need medical and psychological attention.
Alzheimer’s disease causes large numbers of nerve cells in the brain to decease. These alterations make it hard for a person to remember things, have perfect thinking, and make good decisions. The symptoms start gently and get severer over time.
Though new neurons grow throughout our lives, our brains reach their peak size during our early twenties and then begin gradually to decline in volume. Blood flow to the brain also declines over time. Many studies have revealed that the brain remains capable of regrowth and of learning and recalling new facts and skills during lifetime, especially for people who get consistent exercise and recurrent intellectual stimulation. Although there are remarkable differences among individuals, some perceptive abilities continue to improve well into older age, some are continuous, and some deteriorate.
To appreciate what occurs on the outside, it is essential to know what occurs on the inside. The brain's volume peaks in the early 20s and slowly declines for the rest of life. In the age of 40, when a lot of people start to notice slight changes in their ability to remember new names or do more than one thing at a time, the cortex begins to shrink.
Other crucial areas also indicate uncertain changes, neurons can contract or atrophy, and there is large decline in the extensiveness of networks among neurons known as dendritic loss. Usually aging brain has lower blood flow and gets less efficient at employing different areas into actions.
The brain changes are associated with behavior changes, the blood flow drops the peak in the frontal cortex, people most normally experience drops in verbal confidence, or the capability to find the words they need. The regions most affected after that include the parietal cortex, which affects construction and vasomotor performance (exercise that golf swing!), and the medial temporal area, which affects the capability to make new long-term memories and think adaptably.
SO, WHAT TO DO??
>> Here are specific ways to aid your memory;
1. Study a new skill.
2. Volunteer in your society, at a school, or at your place of worship
3. Spend time with your friends and family
4. Use memory tools such as big calendars, to-do lists, and notes to yourself
5. Place your wallet or purse, keys, and glasses in the same position every day
6. Get lots of rest
7. Do exercise and eat well
8. Do not drink a lot of alcohol
9. Get assistance if you feel unhappy for weeks at a time
Posted by: Lusubilo A. Mwaijengo
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