Does it seem like your elderly loved one is forgetting things more in recent months or years? If this seems to be the case, your elderly loved one may just have memory loss because they are getting older. How do you know whether this is the cause or whether your elderly loved one has a degenerative condition such as dementia? There are ways that you can tell the difference. However, it is important to note that if you aren’t sure or have your suspicions, you or a home care assistance provider can take your elderly loved one to see their doctor. Tests can be run to find out the cause of their memory loss.
Age-Related Memory Loss
Everyone has some memory loss. Think about it – you likely forgot where you put your keys at some point. You may have even found your keys in an odd spot, where they definitely shouldn’t be. However, many senior citizens often start losing their memory more and more. Sometimes, they only have short lapses in memory, and other times, they may lose a lot of their memories. It doesn’t always mean they have a degenerative condition. Some signs that your elderly loved one only has age-related memory loss include:
- Not having common sense or can’t judge people or situations as well as they used to
- Forgetting some memories but not all from a specific time frame
- Not able to do tasks as well as they once did
These things may signify that your elderly loved one has age-related memory loss. However, if you have any reservations about this, make sure you or a home care assistance provider goes with your elderly loved one to their doctor’s appointment to ask questions or talk about these reservations.
The Ability of Properly Function
If you or a home care assistance provider notice that your elderly loved one’s memory loss is affecting how they do daily tasks, you may want to have them see their doctor. They could have something as simple as a vitamin deficiency. However, it could also be that your elderly loved one has dementia. Even if they had age-related memory loss in the past, that doesn’t mean it can’t develop into dementia.
Home Care Assistance Aides Can Keep an Eye out for Symptoms
There are many elderly people who have age-related memory loss. This could be what is happening with your elderly loved one. Look at the symptoms above. Talk to your elderly loved one’s home care assistance providers about what they notice. If your elderly loved one doesn’t seem to have worsening memory loss or it is just random, they may only have age-related memory loss. However, if it seems worse or if you have your suspicions about dementia, make sure someone takes your elderly loved one to see their doctor.
Sources:
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/noticing-memory-problems-what-do-next
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/memory-loss/art-20046326