forgerfulness knowing when to ask for help
TRANSCRIPT
Microsoft PowerPoint - Forgerfulness_Knowing when to ask for
help.pptxBy Esmarie Venier
BA (Cur) Administration and Education UNISA
FORGETFULNESS It’s not always what you think
Memory lapse is natural and typically expected
with aging.
normal aging.
2. What causes normal age-related forgetfulness?
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
4. Dementia
7. Compensating for memory loss
1.What is normal age-related forgetfulness?
The following types of memory lapses are normal among older adults and generally are not considered warning signs of dementia:
• Occasionally forgetting where you left things you use regularly, such as glasses or keys.
• Forgetting names of acquaintances or blocking one memory with a similar one, such as calling a grandson by your son’s name.
• Occasionally forgetting an appointment.
1. What is normal age-related forgetfulness?
• Having trouble remembering what you’ve just read, or the details of a conversation.
• Walking into a room and forgetting why you entered.
• Becoming easily distracted.
• Not quite being able to retrieve information you have “on the tip of your tongue.”
2. What causes normal age-related forgetfulness?
• The hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in the formation and retrieval of memories, often deteriorates with age.
• Hormones and proteins that protect and repair brain cells and stimulate neural growth also decline with age.
• Older people often experience decreased blood flow to the brain, which can impair memory and lead to changes in cognitive skills.
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
• Alcohol: People who say they "drink to forget" may have a point. Consuming too much alcohol can interfere with short-term memory, even after the effects of the booze have worn off.
• Medications: Tranquilizers, antidepressants, some blood pressure drugs and other medications can affect memory, usually by causing sedation or confusion.
• Insufficient sleep: Not getting enough sleep is perhaps the greatest unappreciated cause of memory slips. Too little restful sleep can lead to mood changes and anxiety, which in turn contribute to problems with memory.
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
• Depression: Memory slips can be a sign of depression — or a consequence of it. Common signs of depression include a stifling sadness, a lack of drive and a lessening of pleasure in things a person ordinarily enjoys.
• Menopause: A study analyzed the memory performance of 75 middle- aged women who were transitioning into menopause and found about two-thirds complained of memory problems.
• Stress and anxiety: Factors such as stress and anxiety — which make it harder to concentrate and lock in new information and skills — can lead to memory problems. Stress and anxiety can interfere with attention and block the formation of new memories or the retrieval of old ones.
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
• Underactive thyroid: The thyroid gland controls metabolism: if your metabolism is too fast, you may feel confused, and if it’s too slow, you can feel sluggish and depressed.
• Poor nutrition: A poor diet results in general sluggishness, which hinders a person's ability to think and remember clearly. A person's brain is negatively impacted when his or her body doesn't get an adequate supply of energy and nutrients.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency: Vitamin B12 protects neurons and is vital to healthy brain functioning. Older people have a slower nutritional absorption rate, which can make it difficult for you to get the B12 your mind and body need.
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
• Dehydration: Older adults are particularly susceptible to dehydration. Severe dehydration can cause confusion, drowsiness, memory loss, and other symptoms that look like dementia. It’s important to stay hydrated (aim for 6-8 drinks per day). Be particularly vigilant if you take diuretics or laxatives or suffer from diabetes, high blood sugar, or diarrhea.
• Fever: especially with arthritis flairs.
• Head injury: or tumors or infections in the brain, or blood clots in the brain can cause memory loss.
4. Dementia?
• Dementia is a general term for a decline in memory or other thinking skills, severe enough to interfere with daily life.
• Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities.
• Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of Dementia Type
• Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type.
5. Symptoms of Dementia?
“We now know the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease
can begin some 15 years before symptoms of mild cognitive
impairment, or long before the beginning signs of a dementia
surface,”
forgetfulness and other symptoms may develop over a period of
many years.”
said Dr. Barry Reisberg, director of the Fisher Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Resources
Program at New York University Langone Medical Center.
NORMAL age-related memory changes Symptoms that may indicate DEMENTIA PROGRESSIVE DECLINE
Able to function independently and pursue normal activities, despite occasional memory lapses
ABILITY TO FOCUS AND PAY ATTENTION
Difficulty performing simple tasks (paying bills, dressing appropriately, washing up); forgetting how to do things you’ve done many times
Able to recall and describe incidents of forgetfulness SHORT TERM MEMORY
Unable to recall or describe specific instances where memory loss caused problems
May pause to remember directions, but doesn’t get lost in familiar places
VISUAL PERCEPTION
Gets lost or disoriented even in familiar places; unable to follow directions
Occasional difficulty finding the right word, but no trouble holding a conversation
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE
Words are frequently forgotten, misused, or garbled; Repeats phrases and stories in same conversation
Judgment and decision-making ability the same as always REASONING AND JUDGEMENT Trouble making choices; May show poor judgment or behave in socially inappropriate ways
6. When to ask for Help?
While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, at least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia:
• Progressive, meaning symptoms start out slowly and gradually get worse
• Ability to function
• Changes in mood and personality
• Withdrawal from social life or work
• Suspicion
7. Compensating for memory loss
7. Compensating for memory loss
• Stay social. People who aren’t socially engaged with family and friends are at higher risk for memory problems than people who have strong social ties. Quality face-to-face social interaction can greatly reduce stress and is powerful medicine for the brain, so schedule time with friends, join a book club, or visit the local senior center. And be sure to put your phone away and focus fully on the people you’re with if you want the full brain benefit.
• Exercise regularly. Regular exercise boosts brain growth factors and encourages the development of new brain cells. Exercise also reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise also makes a difference in managing stress and alleviating anxiety and depression—all of which leads to a healthier brain.
• Don’t smoke. Smoking heightens the risk of vascular disorders that can cause stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain.
7. Compensating for memory loss
• Manage stress. Cortisol, the stress hormone, damages the brain over time and can lead to memory problems. But even before that happens, stress or anxiety can cause memory difficulties in the moment. When you’re stressed out or anxious, you’re more likely to suffer memory lapses and have trouble learning or concentrating.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, the process of forming and storing new memories so you can retrieve them later. Sleep deprivation reduces the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus and causes problems with memory, concentration, and decision-making. It can even lead to depression—another memory killer.
• Watch what you eat. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and drink green tea as these foods contain antioxidants in abundance, which can keep your brain cells from “rusting.” Foods rich in omega-3 fats (such as salmon, tuna, trout, walnuts, and flaxseed) are particularly good for your brain and memory. Eating too many calories, though, can increase your risk of developing memory loss or cognitive impairment. Give your brain a workout.
7. Compensating for memory loss
• Play games you are not already familiar with that involve strategy, like chess or bridge, and word games like Scrabble.
• Try crossword and other word puzzles, or number puzzles such as Sudoku.
• Read newspapers, magazines, and books that challenge you.
• Get in the habit of learning new things: games, recipes, driving routes, a musical instrument, a foreign language.
• Take a course in an unfamiliar subject that interests you. The more interested and engaged your brain, the more likely you’ll be to continue learning and the greater the benefits you’ll experience.
• Take on a project that involves design and planning, such as a new garden, a quilt, or a koi pond.
7. Compensating for memory loss
• Walking: An easy way to fight memory loss
• New research indicates that walking 3 – 6 km every week can prevent brain shrinkage and memory loss. According to the American Academy of Neurology, older adults who walked between 3 – 6 km per week had more gray matter in their brains nine years after the start of the study than people who didn't walk as much.
What are our immediate goals in dealing with a person with dementia?
Take a moment and think about
YOUR OWN immediate goals in dealing with
that one special person
Summary
BA (Cur) Administration and Education UNISA
FORGETFULNESS It’s not always what you think
Memory lapse is natural and typically expected
with aging.
normal aging.
2. What causes normal age-related forgetfulness?
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
4. Dementia
7. Compensating for memory loss
1.What is normal age-related forgetfulness?
The following types of memory lapses are normal among older adults and generally are not considered warning signs of dementia:
• Occasionally forgetting where you left things you use regularly, such as glasses or keys.
• Forgetting names of acquaintances or blocking one memory with a similar one, such as calling a grandson by your son’s name.
• Occasionally forgetting an appointment.
1. What is normal age-related forgetfulness?
• Having trouble remembering what you’ve just read, or the details of a conversation.
• Walking into a room and forgetting why you entered.
• Becoming easily distracted.
• Not quite being able to retrieve information you have “on the tip of your tongue.”
2. What causes normal age-related forgetfulness?
• The hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in the formation and retrieval of memories, often deteriorates with age.
• Hormones and proteins that protect and repair brain cells and stimulate neural growth also decline with age.
• Older people often experience decreased blood flow to the brain, which can impair memory and lead to changes in cognitive skills.
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
• Alcohol: People who say they "drink to forget" may have a point. Consuming too much alcohol can interfere with short-term memory, even after the effects of the booze have worn off.
• Medications: Tranquilizers, antidepressants, some blood pressure drugs and other medications can affect memory, usually by causing sedation or confusion.
• Insufficient sleep: Not getting enough sleep is perhaps the greatest unappreciated cause of memory slips. Too little restful sleep can lead to mood changes and anxiety, which in turn contribute to problems with memory.
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
• Depression: Memory slips can be a sign of depression — or a consequence of it. Common signs of depression include a stifling sadness, a lack of drive and a lessening of pleasure in things a person ordinarily enjoys.
• Menopause: A study analyzed the memory performance of 75 middle- aged women who were transitioning into menopause and found about two-thirds complained of memory problems.
• Stress and anxiety: Factors such as stress and anxiety — which make it harder to concentrate and lock in new information and skills — can lead to memory problems. Stress and anxiety can interfere with attention and block the formation of new memories or the retrieval of old ones.
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
• Underactive thyroid: The thyroid gland controls metabolism: if your metabolism is too fast, you may feel confused, and if it’s too slow, you can feel sluggish and depressed.
• Poor nutrition: A poor diet results in general sluggishness, which hinders a person's ability to think and remember clearly. A person's brain is negatively impacted when his or her body doesn't get an adequate supply of energy and nutrients.
• Vitamin B12 deficiency: Vitamin B12 protects neurons and is vital to healthy brain functioning. Older people have a slower nutritional absorption rate, which can make it difficult for you to get the B12 your mind and body need.
3. Reversible top 12 causes of memory loss
• Dehydration: Older adults are particularly susceptible to dehydration. Severe dehydration can cause confusion, drowsiness, memory loss, and other symptoms that look like dementia. It’s important to stay hydrated (aim for 6-8 drinks per day). Be particularly vigilant if you take diuretics or laxatives or suffer from diabetes, high blood sugar, or diarrhea.
• Fever: especially with arthritis flairs.
• Head injury: or tumors or infections in the brain, or blood clots in the brain can cause memory loss.
4. Dementia?
• Dementia is a general term for a decline in memory or other thinking skills, severe enough to interfere with daily life.
• Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities.
• Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of Dementia Type
• Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type.
5. Symptoms of Dementia?
“We now know the early warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease
can begin some 15 years before symptoms of mild cognitive
impairment, or long before the beginning signs of a dementia
surface,”
forgetfulness and other symptoms may develop over a period of
many years.”
said Dr. Barry Reisberg, director of the Fisher Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Resources
Program at New York University Langone Medical Center.
NORMAL age-related memory changes Symptoms that may indicate DEMENTIA PROGRESSIVE DECLINE
Able to function independently and pursue normal activities, despite occasional memory lapses
ABILITY TO FOCUS AND PAY ATTENTION
Difficulty performing simple tasks (paying bills, dressing appropriately, washing up); forgetting how to do things you’ve done many times
Able to recall and describe incidents of forgetfulness SHORT TERM MEMORY
Unable to recall or describe specific instances where memory loss caused problems
May pause to remember directions, but doesn’t get lost in familiar places
VISUAL PERCEPTION
Gets lost or disoriented even in familiar places; unable to follow directions
Occasional difficulty finding the right word, but no trouble holding a conversation
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE
Words are frequently forgotten, misused, or garbled; Repeats phrases and stories in same conversation
Judgment and decision-making ability the same as always REASONING AND JUDGEMENT Trouble making choices; May show poor judgment or behave in socially inappropriate ways
6. When to ask for Help?
While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, at least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia:
• Progressive, meaning symptoms start out slowly and gradually get worse
• Ability to function
• Changes in mood and personality
• Withdrawal from social life or work
• Suspicion
7. Compensating for memory loss
7. Compensating for memory loss
• Stay social. People who aren’t socially engaged with family and friends are at higher risk for memory problems than people who have strong social ties. Quality face-to-face social interaction can greatly reduce stress and is powerful medicine for the brain, so schedule time with friends, join a book club, or visit the local senior center. And be sure to put your phone away and focus fully on the people you’re with if you want the full brain benefit.
• Exercise regularly. Regular exercise boosts brain growth factors and encourages the development of new brain cells. Exercise also reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise also makes a difference in managing stress and alleviating anxiety and depression—all of which leads to a healthier brain.
• Don’t smoke. Smoking heightens the risk of vascular disorders that can cause stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain.
7. Compensating for memory loss
• Manage stress. Cortisol, the stress hormone, damages the brain over time and can lead to memory problems. But even before that happens, stress or anxiety can cause memory difficulties in the moment. When you’re stressed out or anxious, you’re more likely to suffer memory lapses and have trouble learning or concentrating.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is necessary for memory consolidation, the process of forming and storing new memories so you can retrieve them later. Sleep deprivation reduces the growth of new neurons in the hippocampus and causes problems with memory, concentration, and decision-making. It can even lead to depression—another memory killer.
• Watch what you eat. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and drink green tea as these foods contain antioxidants in abundance, which can keep your brain cells from “rusting.” Foods rich in omega-3 fats (such as salmon, tuna, trout, walnuts, and flaxseed) are particularly good for your brain and memory. Eating too many calories, though, can increase your risk of developing memory loss or cognitive impairment. Give your brain a workout.
7. Compensating for memory loss
• Play games you are not already familiar with that involve strategy, like chess or bridge, and word games like Scrabble.
• Try crossword and other word puzzles, or number puzzles such as Sudoku.
• Read newspapers, magazines, and books that challenge you.
• Get in the habit of learning new things: games, recipes, driving routes, a musical instrument, a foreign language.
• Take a course in an unfamiliar subject that interests you. The more interested and engaged your brain, the more likely you’ll be to continue learning and the greater the benefits you’ll experience.
• Take on a project that involves design and planning, such as a new garden, a quilt, or a koi pond.
7. Compensating for memory loss
• Walking: An easy way to fight memory loss
• New research indicates that walking 3 – 6 km every week can prevent brain shrinkage and memory loss. According to the American Academy of Neurology, older adults who walked between 3 – 6 km per week had more gray matter in their brains nine years after the start of the study than people who didn't walk as much.
What are our immediate goals in dealing with a person with dementia?
Take a moment and think about
YOUR OWN immediate goals in dealing with
that one special person
Summary