Sun Health’s Memory Care Navigator shows us the difference between normal forgetfulness versus something being seriously wrong.
As we all get older, we tend to worry about memory lapses. The added stress of the last year may have you wondering now more than ever if something is seriously wrong with your memory. Thankfully, as Sun Health’s Lead Memory Care Navigator Marty Finley, M. Ed. Explains, forgetfulness is not something to necessarily stress about.
“Simple memory lapses, such as losing your keys or searching for that word you know is “right on the tip of your tongue,” can make us question whether it’s memory loss or something worse,” Finley says. “The stress of isolation and the whole world being different can exacerbate our ability to remember simple things. We know for a fact that the ability to remember does not work well under stress.”
Finley reminds us that memory slips can be part of normal aging. However, when memory changes disrupt daily life, it may be something to be worried. Finley shares that some signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia include: losing track of the date and season, being unable to manage a budget, exhibiting poor judgement or having trouble with decision making, having difficulty maintaining a normal conversation, or misplacing things and not being able to retrace your steps to find the lost item.
Finley further discusses this important topic in Sun Health’s popular presentation, “Normal Aging versus Dementia.” Sun Health’s next session of the informative class happens online at 9:30 a.m. on March 18. Those with questions can call 623-471-9355 or visit https://sunhealthwellness.org/class-calendar/ for the class link.
And as a reminder Sun Health’s Memory Care Navigator program can help those with memory loss and their family members and friends to identify support, services and resources that may be helpful in navigating the dementia journey. For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation, call 623-471-9300, or visit http://sunhealth.org/memorycare.
