According to a professor of cognition and cognitive neuroscience, a decline in cognitive health does not just happen overnight. While the process typically starts slowly, one day you may be startled to find you are not as mentally sharp as you once were. Changes you or a loved one may notice include things like finding it harder to follow a conversation, remembering dates and times of events, and difficulty performing everyday tasks.
It is common for all of us to forget the name of an actor from a movie we saw last night; but forgetting you even went to a movie last night is concerning. Another problem is losing the ability to multi-task. A person who in the past could easily put on a dinner party may find themselves unable to complete the task. They may find it hard to concentrate on things like following a recipe while trying to hold a conversation with someone.
Heather Whitson, M.D., a professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and director of the Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, says, “If it just doesn't seem like it's happening well, or it's happening with a lot more effort, that would be a sign that there are executive function issues.”
The Alzheimer’s Association explains while we all may misplace things like keys and reading glasses, putting something away in an unusual place, or misplacing something and not being able to retrace your steps, may be an early warning sign of dementia. The National Institute of Aging says dealing with money issues can be one of the first noticeable signs of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias as is short-term memory loss. If you suspect your problems go beyond what is normal, make an appointment to discuss it with your healthcare provider.
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