symptoms of brain spinal cord and nerve disorders
brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Memory Loss
As people age, most start having some memory problems. Usually, memory loss is caused by normal age-related changes in the brain and does not lead to dementia. Understanding such changes can reduce anxiety and thus help older people adjust and compensate. Estimates of how many people have mild cognitive impairment vary, but it is common. Some studies report that 7% of people have it at age 70 and 25% of people have it after age 80. Dementia occurs in About 1% of people aged 60 to 64 3% of people aged 65 to 74 Almost 15% of people aged 75 to 79 About 25% of people aged 80 to 84 30 to 50% of people over 85 60 to 80% of older nursing home residents Strategies that can help people cope with a declining memory include Making lists Keeping a detailed calendar Establishing routines Making associations or relating new information to information already known, such as associating a new person’s name with the name of a movie star Repeating information, such as repeating a new person’s name several times Focusing on (paying attention to) one thing at a time Improving organizational skills, such as keeping frequently used items such as car keys in the same place Making sure that they can hear and see well can help people stay engaged with others and participate in social activities. Such participation helps people maintain confidence in themselves and often improves mental function. 