Posts tagged "Memory loss"

The phone rings. It’s Mom. “See you later, Joy. I’m going out now to withdraw cash from the ATM machine.” “Wait! What?” “You heard me. I need cash and I’m heading out the door.” The ATM machine in our Chicago neighborhood is located inside the nearby Walgreen’s. It’s

The Alzheimer Society of Canada website states that in 2011, there were 747,000 people living with some form of cognitive impairment, including dementia. This number is expected to double to 1.4 million by 2031. This means that many of us will be affected by dementia

It can be upsetting and frustrating when a loved one with dementia forgets who his/her family members are. Sometimes it’s a case of not being able to recognize faces. Many times I have heard family members say, “He thinks I am his sister,” or “Mom

Recently, while I was at a family celebration, several people mentioned memory concerns to me. Some were older adults concerned about the memory of their spouses. Some were adult children concerned about the memory of their parents. And a few were older adults who have noticed

I have been a geriatric mental health clinician since 2010. One of the most complex and perplexing conditions that I have seen in those 65 and older is delirium and it's confusion. Of the troubling “3Ds” (Delirium, Depression and Dementia) often found in the geriatric

As promised, this week I am reviewing a bit more about the symptoms and behaviors that you may notice when someone you love has Alzheimer’s disease. I will also cover some basic tips for handling the difficult situations that could arise. In my last blog

33% of the elderly population (aged 75-85) takes 5 or more prescription pills a day.  That is in addition to any over-the-counter medication the individual may be taking.  All of this can add up to a potentially dangerous situation requiring caregivers and loved ones to

Technology has changed our world.  We access information instantaneously with a few key strokes, see our world through high power telescopes and satellites, and approach medicine with depth and efficiency enabling people to live longer and healthier. Technology has also made many of the challenges

If you misplace your keys what is your first thought? If you walk into a room and forget what you were looking for what goes through your mind? What about if you are driving to your friend’s house, a place you have been several times

I work in Geriatric Mental Health. I see all kinds of people in my practice, and surprisingly I am rarely asked questions about preventative health measures when it comes to maintaining and improving brain health. One day I was asked by a man in his 80s, “How