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Early dementia or just part of aging

Posted by cosynook @cosynook, Mar 3 8:43am

Hi! I’m 76 and have worried for years about getting dementia because many of the women in my mother’s family suffered from this. Since childhood I’ve always had what I describe as “ADD concerns” but never had a formal diagnosis. As an adult I considered this but never moved on it because as my husband always said “ Why? You multitask, never miss appointments or get confused driving etc.” But internally I knew I faked a lot. Now I can’t fake things. Now it’s noticeable as I have obvious difficulty remembering /retelling programs/ movies I watched the night before, spelling when I’ve always was a good speller and especially word recall…..I know what I want to use but just can’t recall it . How do I know what’s just an “ aging “ thing or signs of dementia? Does anyone have input or can direct me what to read about this. Thank you all!

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rvgranny - Susan | @rvgranny | 15 hours ago
In reply to @gloaming "@stsopoci Very likely it is age-related, but it also means a loss of 'function' in operational..." + (show)
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@stsopoci Very likely it is age-related, but it also means a loss of 'function' in operational memory. You should, even at age 85-95, be able to read aloud a new phone number and then press those numbers on the handset in the correct order three short seconds later.

There is such a thing as a 'busy brain' where it is lost too much time during the day in fleeting thoughts, problems, desires, news bits, little momentary chores..stuff not worth retaining, so you dump it....and then when you go to concentrate on something you need to understand....AND...to retain for at least an hour, it just ain't gonna happen.

The human brain loses ground in vascularization, blood supply, and in capacity as a result as we age. You may, not saying you are, but you may be well inside that camp by now, so...yup...it's normal, natural aging.

I just went on YouTube and did a search for 'seniors, how to improve memory' and found many example videos, but I selected this one. I have not listened to it, don't know the host/narrator....so if it's a bust, please just use it as an example of how you can do your own search and listen to several videos by people who claim to offer help with memory:

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@gloaming even as a teenager I could not hold a phone number in my dyslexic brain long enough to write it down or dial. Unless it had a pattern or prompted a tune.

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gloaming | @gloaming | 12 hours ago
In reply to @rvgranny "@gloaming even as a teenager I could not hold a phone number in my dyslexic brain..." + (show)
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@gloaming even as a teenager I could not hold a phone number in my dyslexic brain long enough to write it down or dial. Unless it had a pattern or prompted a tune.

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@rvgranny So, you used 'associative' memory, which is a great strategy for remembering things. I'm happy it has worked well for you.

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midnightwalker | @midnightwalker | 5 hours ago
In reply to @rvgranny "Thanks for posting, as it made me confront uncomfortable moments in experiencing. At 77, I’m mirroring..." + (show)
Profile picture for rvgranny - Susan @rvgranny

Thanks for posting, as it made me confront uncomfortable moments in experiencing.

At 77, I’m mirroring your concerns. I don’t get lost when driving , but I frequently have to remind myself what errands I’m on when I go to town.

Pretty sure I would have been deemed ADHD if a diagnosis were available in my childhood. I make lists, and then lists of which lists to prioritise. Then I take pictures of my lists, because I will forget to take them (dang, the AI word prompts are so accurate: scary).

Not getting things done is my most destructive and frustrating trait. Not new, but worsening each year. Like reading posts now, when I should be doing bookwork.

Really no one I can discuss my concerns with (no close friends or family), and I am reluctant to seek professional help. Pretty sure I worry about things that would not trouble a younger person.

Should really be a branch of geriatrics dedicated to coping with this time of everyone’s’ life. I would definitely be interested in attending classes or groups to learn how to cope better. Anonymity of the crowd… “asking for a friend.”

On the upside, I enjoy yard work, keep abreast of the news via apps like NYT and local news, listen to a wide variety of audiobooks, attend church, and belong to two service clubs.

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@rvgranny Nice hearing from you. The older we get, the invisible we seem to become. We've moved quite a bit and made/lost many friends along the way. That's how the world is these days. I just got results from my PET Scan and am moving forward with the Leqembi infusions as soon as my doctor sets it up. I too still do everything--drive, cook, play mj, dominoes, go out to dinner and music events, but I'm not kidding myself. All the tests point to clouds in my future and I intend to proactively ward them away for as long as I can. I always keep a list of what I'm going out to get. I always leave my keys in one specific place now and I get comfort knowing where they are at any given time. I leave a small light on in my kitchen if I have something on the back burner just in case...ain't life grand?

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