If there is one thing common to aged people, it would be their inability to remember a lot of things, sometimes, it seems the age factor usually just pulls up and makes them forget so many things in a hurry, if you have an aged person close to you, I am pretty sure you understand what I am trying to say. I really like to explore the reason why aged people experience the inability to remember things and if you are reading this right now, I am pretty sure you are as curious too, so let's get straight into it.
Getting old is associated with having the body change in so many ways, the changes in the body do not leave out the brain, so gradually, these old people may begin to find out how long it takes for them to remember things or even learn anything new. The brain produces brain cells at every age, this makes memory loss in aged individuals almost inevitable.
However, daily lifestyle habits and activities could have a great impact on the brain. There are so many natural habits that could help improve brain health and prevent memory loss.
Before we get really deep into the topic, I want to share with you a story on how an average/low-income earner treats their old ones in Nigeria.
How do old (poor) people live in Nigeria?
This story is different for the high-income earners though, it is for those who fall within the poor category in society.
John was a successful young farmer, he had inherited the farmland from his late father and he owned the best farm and produce in the village. A lot of maidens in the village were really hoping that Mr. John will make them his wife, this will make them enjoy luxury as well (according to a village standard) John was too wealthy to take just one wife, so he got married to two women on the same day (who dares question his decision?), the two women lived with John in the mud house they saw as a great deal and literally worshiped him, making sure that his demands are met at the exact time it needs to be met.
These two wives gave birth to 5 children each for John and John decided it was time to take a third wife, these children grew up in a house filled with chaos, women insulting one another and fighting because they all need more time with their husband.
Who cared about educating the kids? definitely not John, he saw no use for that, according to him each child should get to the farm to work and the most hardworking one of them would inherit the land after his demise.
Two out of John's kids decided not to remain in the house, they moved out to look for greener pasture according to them, staying in the village only means they would end up like their father and they did not want that. The other children decided to remain in the village with their parents, they had food to eat at the right time and every lady in the village admired them as John's children, so they were comfortable.
After some years, John was already old and he did not have the ability to go to the farm any longer, nor did any of his wives. The children of course have taken over the farm, sharing amongst themselves the proceeds they make from it, which is not even enough to feed themselves and the now toons of children they have also produced, this only means one thing, almost nothing/nothing is available for John and his wives to rely on. The two children who left initially are now comfortable but cannot shoulder the full responsibility of the family, so they stay far away from the village and only send money to their parents for upkeep.
A large amount of the money sent is spent on counter-self-medication which further complicates their health status and the rest on the little food it can cover Oh John can never get enough alcohol, so he still drinks to a stupor.
While forgetfulness in aged people might be a natural cause we cannot also rule out the fact that, it may be a result of certain health factors.
The Difference between Natural Forgetfulness and Disease-caused Forgetfulness.
A forgetful trait could be a natural one when there is;
Occasional forgetfulness of where you left a recently used item.
Mixing up your children's names.
Finding it difficult to forget what you just read or remember the details of a recent conversation.
Inability to give a perfect description of a place.
Experienced difficulty in finding the right words to use.
If an aged person can still perform normal everyday activities independently even with the regular forgetfulness, then there is really no big deal to get worried about.
There is a problem however when any of these signs are being noticed;
The inability to carry out simple tasks like dressing up, paying bills, and other things the person used to do almost regularly beforehand.
Appearing lost in places that used to be extremely familiar is also a huge sign to watch out for.
Frequently forgetting words, regularly misusing words, repeating the same story in a single statement.
Poor judgments in social behaviors. source
If some forgetful traits are not natural, then there are certain medical conditions that could possibly cause extreme forgetfulness in aged patients, let us explore some of what those conditions are;
Depression: A lot of old people become less social and less active than they used to be as they age, change in children's location usually makes some of these old parents spend most of their time alone and this major life change could lead to depression. Depression in older adults can mimic memory loss, making it difficult for them to properly organize things, remember things and appropriately get things done.
Thyroid problems:Throid gland is responsible for the control of metabolism in the body, if the body's metabolism acts too fast, it may leave the person involved confused, on the other hand, if the body's metabolism is too slow, it could leave the person involved depressed and extremely sluggish. Thyroid problems can also create memory problems making it difficult for the person involved to concentrate and increasing their likelihood of forgetting things very fast.
Vitamin B12 deficiency:Vitamin B12 in the body is responsible for the protection of neurons, Vitamin B12 is extremely important for the functioning of a healthy brain and its absence could create brain damage.
As the body age, it becomes difficult to get the needed B12 the mind and the body need and this is because of their slower rate of nutritional absorption. Drinking and smoking put aged people at a much bigger risk.
Mild Cognitive Impairment:This condition describes an in-between stage for normal age-related cognitive changes and related symptoms to dementia. Problems with this condition are usually associated with language, memory as well as judgemental decisions. A lot of people with MCI usually develop Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia. The presence of an MCI could be identified through the following symptoms;
Inability to follow through on a conversation.
The frequency of misplacing things.
Inability to remember events, appointments, and even conversations.
There is also the inability to remember the name of a new acquaintance.
Excessive Alchohol: Excessive intake of alcohol is extremely toxic to brain cells, the abuse of alcohol results in memory loss. The constant abuse of alcohol has the tendency to increase the risk of dementia.
Dehydration Older adults are more prone to dehydration, when dehydration becomes intense or extreme, it will begin to cause drowsiness, memory loss, confusion, and other symptoms that could look like dementia. Aged adults need to stay very hydrated, it is important for their health.
**Self-medication: As we get older, the ability of the body to break down and absorb medications becomes slower, most of the prescribed over-the-counter combinations of drugs could create cognitive problems and memory loss comes as a side effect of the created cognitive problems.
Can memory loss be treated? This is one question I kept asking myself when I was reading about this topic because it doesn't seem like fun at all.
Staying social, getting engaged in physical gatherings, and spending time with loved ones would go a long way to improve brain function.
Quit smoking, smoking intensifies the risk of developing vascular disorders and stroke, it also constricts the arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain. Through research, the moment you quit smoking, the brain quickly begins to benefit from improved circulation.
Increased quality sleep time as one advance in age helps memory consolidation, getting sleep deprived actually reduces the growth of new neurons made available in the hippocampus, creating problems with memory concentration and decision-making abilities, it also contributes to depression and memory destruction.
Regular exercise like cardio and strength training has the possibility of reducing the risk of developing dementia up to 50%. Exercising also protects against Alzheimer's.
The consumption of plenty of vegetables, fruits, and green tea as well as food that contains lots of antioxidants will keep the brain cell from continuously rusting. Consuming lots of calories can increase the possibility of developing memory loss or cognitive impairment. source
For further studies.
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/alzheimers-dementia-aging/age-related-memory-loss.htm
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/alzheimers/forget.shtm
Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my podcast channel Here and I also have a youtube channel where you can listen and watch any episode for free, do not forget to subscribe and share with friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from members of the community and do well to keep them coming.