Dementia is not a normal part of aging. But it’s a common misconception that it is inevitable.
Lose the keys again?
Forget someone’s name?
Have trouble recalling a word?
You can relax, experts say. These incidents might simply be a normal part of age-related memory loss, not dementia.
A recent report released for World Alzheimer’s Day indicated that 80 percent of the general public and 65 percent of health and care officials believe incorrectly that dementia is a normal part of aging.
“This is a concerning increase from our 2019 survey numbers, as we know that this lack of understanding can delay diagnosis and access to treatment and support,” states the report issued by Alzheimer’s Disease International.
Changes as We Age
As we age, our entire bodies change, including our brains. But those changes don’t mean we will develop dementia.
Lisa Genova, a neuroscientist and the author of “Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting,” says that normal forgetting involves not knowing where we parked the car because we weren’t paying attention in the first place, or not being able to recall a word as quickly as we might have in our younger years.
In contrast, she says, if you arrive someplace and cannot remember how you got there, or you don’t recognize your own car, that’s a bigger issue.
When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or any other form of dementia, many factors are and have been involved in that progression.
Symptoms typically appear decades after related brain changes started.
So What is Dementia?
So what is dementia? And if it’s potentially avoidable, how can we improve our chances of avoiding it?
Dementia is a loss of cognitive functioning and behavioral abilities that interfere with daily life. Dementia involves memory loss and confusion, and people with dementia may also have problems with language skills, visual perception, and paying attention.
Of the many forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is the most well-known and most common.
In 2019, the World Health Organization estimated that more than 55 million people worldwide had dementia, a figure predicted to increase to 139 million by 2050. As of 2023, an estimated 6.7 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease. This includes about 200,000 people under the age of 65 with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Signs and symptoms appear when once-healthy nerve cells stop working, lose connections with other brain cells, and die. Everyone experiences some neuron loss as they age, but people with dementia lose more.
So your occasional forgetfulness – particularly when the name or word comes to you later – doesn’t mean you have dementia. Age-related memory changes – occasionally misplacing keys or forgetting to pay a bill – are normal.
When Forgetfulness Becomes a Worry
When forgetfulness begins to affect daily life and activities, it may be time to discuss the problems with your doctor. Other factors may cause memory loss, such as depression, blood clots, sleep problems, low nutrient levels, and medication side effects.
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, family history, medications and other questions to help evaluate your concerns. And they may suggest changes to your lifestyle, such as drinking less or no alcohol, increasing the nutrient density of your diet, or getting more sleep and/or physical activity.
But since changes in the brain start taking place well before symptoms appear, it’s never too soon to start focusing on improving healthy habits.
At least 7 Habits of Healthy Aging – including eating a nutritious diet, staying active socially, and increasing physical activity – can benefit your brain as well as your body. Alzheimer’s Disease International released a lengthy report on World Alzheimer’s Day 2023 focused on Reducing Dementia Risk.
Genova’s book, “Remember,” is one of many other resources offering insights for a healthy brain. And not stressing over small memory lapses – as well as managing and working through other stressors – is among them.
“Our brains don’t remember everything, but maybe what they remember is enough,” she writes. “And yet even when the meaningful is forgotten, memory doesn’t define what it means to be a human.”
If you need help establishing healthy habits that stick, you may benefit from working with a coach. Amy Hoogervorst helps sandwich-generation women carve out space for meaningful self-care, so they can keep prioritizing who and what matters most. Subscribe to the Well Check newsletter below to learn more!