Short Time Memory Loss Problem (dementia, sleep, Benadryl, vitamins)

[niravarav]

One of my uncles facing now short time memory loss problem. He is now 60 years old man. Doctors can't give a proper solution for this.
But we've already known that, it's an age based problem in people Nowadays. Older people normally forget where they kept their car keys or Mobile phones etc.. On the other hand small aged students also suck this Kind of short time memory loss problem sometimes. They can't prepare daily lessons or homeworks regularly. But there are some tools which can help them to sharp their memory.

Do you guys have any suggestion for my uncle ? Thanks in advance!

[Jerseyt719]

Yes. Reading and doing puzzles. It keeps the brain active.

Also getting him a voice recorder can help him.

[nightlysparrow]

Physical exercise, every day. Less TV, more walking. Increases blood circulation to the brain.

[stepka]

Is he on any meds? Someone told me the other day that metformin can cause those kinds of problems but when I looked it up it turns out that it uses up your vitamin B-12 quicker and that can cause memory loss in itself. Statins also can have this effect on some people and so can drugs like benadryl or tylenol PM(anticholinergics). These days I take a good vitamin B supplement with choline in it, and then I take a sublingual B-12 on the side and I make sure I get the methyl- form, not the cyano- form, because you're supposed to absorb it better. I do this b/c I have a family history of B-12 deficiencies.

Also, does your uncle have a weight problem? If he does then surely he has problems with insulin and processing sugar and studies are coming out that this can be really bad for your brain--you don't even have to be diabetic to get brain damage. It's really scary. This effect can be short term (right after a really sugary meal or snack) or it can do long term damage. I know I get plenty stupid after a sugar binge.

As for the puzzles--I'm not sure what I think of that unless you switch up what you do. Turns out that getting into a rut is far worse for your brain than being active and busy and changing things around. I do sudoku a lot and I'm getting where I can almost do them in my sleep--any activity that you can go on autopilot while you do it is not going to be beneficial. It may not be bad, but it probably won't help and the longer your mind is actually engaged, the better. I read an article that said that it's far better to do things like take a different route home from work on some days, meet up with different friends periodically, go somewhere different for a vacation, or even change the living room around. Things like that. Oh yeah and learn something new. Pick up a musical instrument, even if you're not musical. Or especially if you're not musical.

Exercise is always good but I've heard the absolute best and gold standard is dancing. You move and get winded, you have fun, you're social, and you have to think about what you're doing.

I did a lot of research on this stuff when mom was sick with her dementia, but turned out she had advanced cancer instead and probably a tumor in her brain so it wouldn't have helped anyway. Oh well, I'm glad to know this info. Look at this list first and then if you want, I know of a lot of different supplements that are supposed to help, but at least make sure he's getting a good multi and add B vitamins and C will help to absorb the choline. You can even get a choline and inositol supplement that has a lot of choline but I'm not sure what that would do long term. Probably couldn't hurt for the short term though.

Oh yeah and OP: drop the idea that your uncle is old. 60 is way young to be showing signs of dementia so this is most def not normal signs of aging. If he were 80, then it might be understandable if a few things fell thru the cracks, but dementia is a disorder, not ever a sign of normal aging. My g-ma was sharp into her 90's and though she did start to forget a few things, she was mentally capable of living in her own home until the end and did.

[Billy_J]

As soon as he thinks of something he needs to do, make a note. Place the notes to do things in the same place where he will see it. Like on refrigerator.

Keep a calendar and note things to do in the future. Look at that each morning.

Always keep things like cell phone or keys in the same place.

Do it now! When he is thinking he needs to do something in the future, make a note to do that NOW (don't wait or he will forget). Place the cell phone where it always goes when he walks in the door (do it now). Etc.

Keep note paper and a pen handy in several different places around the house. Next to bed, next to phone, in kitchen, next to calendar.

[Jerseyt719]

My grandmother was like that. She had memories of her dad. He died when she was 7 years old. But she had an issue with where she parked her car or what she did yesterday.

I thought she had adult ADD or something. Doc said she had anxiety. She began to take meds for it and it did get better. Not 100% but it did get better.

This is all common for elderly people. The most important thing is to not make a big deal about it. It makes them concentrate on the problem all the more and it just becomes extremely frustrating for them.

[stepka]

Originally Posted by Jerseyt719

My grandmother was like that. She had memories of her dad. He died when she was 7 years old. But she had an issue with where she parked her car or what she did yesterday.

This is all common for elderly people.

It may be common but it is not normal or healthy. Diabetes and cancer are common these days too but not normal. The OP's uncle is 60 years old--not even old enough to retire. 60 years old is not the time to sit back and say, "Well, he's just getting old--we'll help him adapt." It is time to look at lifestyle factors like meds, being stuck in a rut, nutrition, exercise, hidden health issues, etc.

[Jerseyt719]

I completely missed his age. That is too young for that.