I recently celebrated my 65th birthday. My problem is that I now forget things easily. Is this normal?
Gregory (by SMS)
Many older adults worry about their memory and other thinking abilities. For example, they might be concerned about taking longer than before to learn new things, or they may sometimes forget to pay a bill. These changes are usually signs of mild forgetfulness — often a normal part of aging — not serious memory problems. While it is normal to forget things once in a while as we age, serious memory problems make it hard to do everyday things like driving, using the phone, and finding your way home. Signs that it might be time to talk to a doctor include: asking the same questions over and over again, getting lost in places a person knows well, having trouble following recipes or directions, becoming more confused about time, people, and places as well as not taking care of oneself —eating poorly, not bathing, or behaving unsafely. People with some forgetfulness can use a variety of techniques that may help them stay healthy and deal with changes in their memory and mental skills. Here are some tips: learn a new skill, follow a daily routine, plan tasks, make to-do lists, and use memory tools such as calendars and notes, as well as putting your wallet or purse, keys, phone, and glasses in the same place each day. Other methods include; staying involved in activities that can help both the mind and body, volunteering in your community, at a school, or at your place of worship, spending time with friends and family, getting enough sleep, generally seven to eight hours each night, exercising and eating well, preventing or controlling high blood pressure, not drinking a lot of alcohol and getting help if you feel depressed for weeks at a time.
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