Should I be concerned about my mother's memory?
Yes, you're right to be concerned any time memory loss is an issue. Alzheimer's or other kinds of dementia are not inevitable side effects of aging. Their incidence does rise with age; only 2-3 percent of people 71 to 79 have Alzheimer's, for example, compared with 29 percent of those over 90.
Memory loss can endanger your mother, for example, if she were to forget to turn off the stove or to get lost, if she still drives.
It's a good idea to have a noticeable change in cognition checked out by her physician or a memory clinic, especially if it is affecting everyday life. If she does appear to have Alzheimer's, medication may be able to slow the rate of decline and help her maintain her quality of life. Or there may be another issue, such as a drug interaction, urinary tract infection, or nutritional issue that's causing the memory glitches -- and if treated properly, the problem could go away.
Recommended for you
- Should my mom's house remain unchanged even though she has memory problems?
- Can vitamin supplements and herbals slow memory loss due to Alzheimer's disease?
- Which drugs cause memory loss?
- Two months after my father-in-law's passing, my mother-in-law with dementia no longer recognizes my wife. What could have triggered this?
- My mom won't admit to having memory problems. How can I handle this?
- See all 184 questions about Alzheimer's Signs and Symptoms
