We’ve all been there, you forget your keys or you forget where you put them again and again. We have a senior moment as they say – we all do at some point.
However, for some adults as they age, frequent memory lapse could be a signal that warrants some attention. When pressed, some seniors are really adept at covering their tracks with general responses to questions, such as “you know what I mean”, “of course, I took my medication.”
With more investigation and probing, they may become combative or argumentative if you question them and feel that you don’t trust them. It’s hard for both parties. So what are some of the signs to look for?
Some of the general signs in people that are experiencing a loss of memory function or cognitive impairment are:
- Confusion in situations that they’ve typically been able to function, such as remembering appointments or social engagements.
- Becoming overwhelmed when faced with what used to be a small decision such as what to order for lunch.
- Difficulty following the thread of a conversation or initiating a conversation with others which may play out in isolating themselves from social situations.
- Challenged in finding their way around familiar environments such as their neighborhood.
- Expressing frustration in their inability to manage activities, such as preparing meals or paying their bills, as they once handled very easily without support.
