Forgetfulness and health
Worsening memory loss that interferes with your daily life is not a normal part of aging. Memory lapses—like getting lost while driving on a familiar route to the grocery store or having trouble recalling very recent events—could be something more serious that requires discussion with a health care provider. According to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common sign of dementia is severe memory loss that tends to get worse over time. Dementia can be caused by a variety of conditions, but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause. An estimated 6.7 million older adults have Alzheimer’s disease in the United States, and that number is expected to double by 2060. The biggest increases will be among adults belonging to certain racial and ethnic minority groups.
Memory loss that is getting worse or more frequent can be an early warning sign of dementia, but not all people with worsening memory loss will go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia. Adults with at least a college education were less likely to report worsening memory loss than those with less formal education.
A recent CDC study found that 1 in 10 adults 45 years and older in the United States reported worsening memory loss. Patterns varied across the United States, with more people reporting it in Alabama, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Florida, and West Virginia than in any other states. Less than half of adults who reported the condition had discussed it with a health care provider.
Some signs indicating that it might be time to talk to a doctor include: asking the same questions over and over again, having trouble following recipes or directions, becoming more confused about time, people, and places, reports The National Institute on Aging is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. But the CDC notes that it is possible to reduce your risk of worsening memory loss and, potentially, dementia later in life. An important first step is talking to a health care provider, who can suggest healthy lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk, such as staying physically active, maintaining strong social connections, not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and maintaining a healthy blood pressure. A health care provider can also help to rule out other physical or mental causes of memory loss.
