Senior Citizens (or Anyone): How Do U Handle Memory Failures??

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Senior Citizens (or Anyone):
How Do U Handle Memory Failures??

For many years I have had something approaching anxiety attacks
or annoyances qua forgetfulness of words, or of people 's names
or the names of songs, etc., etc.

I noticed that I have tended to forget the same words REPEATEDLY.*

It began about 5O years ago, when I repeatedly forgot the word: "DOGMATIC".
It was annoying trying to remember it, so I wrote it down
n stashed the card on which I wrote it in my desk, for the next time that I 'd forget it.
IT WORKED: my annoyance at trying to remember was obviated and defeated.

The Home of our lives is our MEMORIES.
I have better peace of mind by fighting against forgetfulness.

To succeed in combating this,
I wrote A LIST of words, names or other information
that I had forgotten, after I remembered it again.
That 's handy, as is Google.
Sometimes, I ask around and get some help.

Do any of u have that problem ?
If so, how do u handle it ?

I 've seen ads alleging memory boosting potions
for sale in drug stores or in health food stores: I remain skeptical.
Have any of u tried any of those ?

David

*On the other hand,
there was a seldom used fone number from c.5O years ago
that I remember very easily, for no reason, and of no use.

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@OmSigDAVID,

Funny thing, David...I use to have the same problem with the word "gratuitous." I did what you did with the word "dogmatic"...wrote it down on a 3 x 5 card.

Didn't do any good. I still come up with "self-serving"...and have to struggle to get "gratuitous" back into my mind.

As for the 3 x 5 card...I have no idea of what I did with that!

I have not tried any of the drugs supposedly helpful for memory loss...but I do exercise my brain with crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and the Rubik's cube. I understand the only thing that really solves the memory loss problem is the one thing that solves all aging problems...including "aging." But I prefer to put that off for as long as I can.

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what was the question?

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@OmSigDAVID,

I think one has to make sure that one has to keep the mind active to avoid memory failures. As a nurse, we encourage people to eat nutritious and memory boosting food like peanuts.

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@amygarside,

amygarside wrote:

we encourage people to eat nutritious and memory boosting food like peanuts.

well sure, cause elephants never forget

http://www.russstreet.com/site/img/E_elephant.jpg

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@djjd62,

<snort>

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I absolutely HATE forgetting things. And I forget things all the time. I've
been that way for as long as I can remember (irony noted) and age hasn't
improved me.

I carry a 3x5 notebook in my pocket at work. When I say to someone that I
will do this-or-that, I make a note of it. If you don't see me write it down,
I say, don't count on it getting done.

The Lovely Bride was buying me ginko-whatever for a while, but that didn't
help. I've tried all sorts of memory tricks, but they don't help either. Sigh.

But I can recite the opening lines of the Aeneid by heart. In Latin.
Go figure.

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@Frank Apisa,

Frank Apisa wrote:

Funny thing, David...I use to have the same problem with the word "gratuitous."
I did what you did with the word "dogmatic"...wrote it down on a 3 x 5 card.

Didn't do any good. I still come up with "self-serving"...and have to
struggle to get "gratuitous" back into my mind.

Read it a lot of times and develop muscle memory for speaking the word.
Practice, Practice, Practice! Make it part of u.

Frank Apisa wrote:

As for the 3 x 5 card...I have no idea of what I did with that!

I put mine in an ez place:
the wide, broad drawer of my desk, over the leg well.
Can 't miss it THERE!
U can nail it on the wall, if u wanna.

Mine is now a computer file
called "Words, Names and Events to Remember"

Frank Apisa wrote:

I have not tried any of the drugs supposedly helpful for memory loss...but I do
exercise my brain with crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and the Rubik's cube.

YES! That 's what I hear: mental exercise is the best cure.
I 'm glad that I don't have to show up anywhere, tho,
except a restaurant, if I'm hosting a dinner or the airport, if I 'm flying.
I confess that I like relaxing.
R u still working, Frank ?

Frank Apisa wrote:

I understand the only thing that really solves the memory loss problem is the one thing that solves all aging problems...including "aging." But I prefer to put that off for as long as I can.

Humor aside, I understand that gives u recourse
to perfect memory (u can actually see it in 3-D)
according to some of the people who have been brought back
to human life in hospitals (ususally by defibrillation).
I cannot attest to that from my own human deaths in surgery.
I only remember awakening in the ICU.

A former girlfriend of mine, Joan, told me that when she was
very abruptly threatened with catastrophic death,
she saw that: her life flashed in front of her, like it was spring-loaded,
but the threat was not executed and she remained un-harmed.
(She thawt that a bus in which she was riding was about to slide
over a cliff, on ice; it did not fall. She willingly accepted her error of perception.)

David

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David, I'm not a senior, however, I recently went through menopause. One of the symptoms I had for several years was forgetfulness. I had to write out everything! I had daily lists of things I had to find (keys, purse, watch, phone) - I'm not kidding. It was soooo annoying! Edit: I would also wander into a room and forget why I went in there, and forget something I wanted to do moments later.

I'm much better (no more lists of things to find) but I still forget things if I don't write them down. A friend called me last week and asked what time she and another friend should come over. I had completely forgotten about that date.

I think we just need to deal with the reality of it and accommodate it but writing everything of importance down. I forget names all the time, but so do others, so that is not a big deal. For me, it's missing dates, appointments, etc.

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@amygarside,

amygarside wrote:

I think one has to make sure that one has to keep the mind active to avoid memory failures.
As a nurse, we encourage people to eat nutritious and memory boosting food like peanuts.

Thank u, Amy. I 'll get some peanuts. How about macadamia nuts or pistachios ??
I understand that drinking a lot of water is helpful too. I do that and I monitor it.

David

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@Mame,

Mame wrote:

David, I'm not a senior, however, I recently went through menopause. One of the symptoms I had for several years was forgetfulness. I had to write out everything! I had daily lists of things I had to find (keys, purse, watch, phone) - I'm not kidding. It was soooo annoying!

Edit: I would also wander into a room and forget why I went in there,
and forget something I wanted to do moments later.

That even happened to ME, in childhood, Mame.

Mame wrote:

I'm much better (no more lists of things to find) but I still forget things if I don't write them down. A friend called me last week and asked what time she and another friend should come over. I had completely forgotten about that date.

Maybe use a computer calendar? or write it on a paper calender ?

Mame wrote:

I think we just need to deal with the reality of it and accommodate it
but writing everything of importance down. I forget names all the time,
but so do others, so that is not a big deal. For me, it's missing dates, appointments, etc.

I remember some very popular (oldie) music, but I forgot the words, and the name of the song.
I can't Google it, without the name or the words; that can be annoying. I wish I coud remember that.

I have had scary feelings (almost approaching anxiety attacks)
qua losing memories. Not long ago, I was having a dickens of a time
(scary/annoyance) endeavoring to remember whether I only considered
the possibility of pulling a practical joke on a friend in the 1960s,
or whether I actually DID it. I lost touch with the fellow.
(Eventually, I remembered laffing about it with him on the fone.)

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Senior Citizens (or Anyone): How Do U Handle Memory Failures??

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