[macawlaw]

Alzheimer’s runs in my mom’s side is the family, so I pay close attention to potential symptoms. I have noticed that a common early sign is the inability to multi-task anymore. For example, not being able to cook a whole meal and figure out how/when everything should be done.

Losing words is also a clue. However, it appears to be more that they forget the bigger word exists at all. I think that it’s natural for seniors to sometimes have trouble retrieving words/names, etc. If they come back to you later, and you remember that it’s the name/word you wanted, I don’t think that’s a problem.

[Cheapbas]

Originally Posted by bsloan1960

I'm 65. I have always had, and used a pretty expansive vocabulary- not scholarly but enough to be sure I was understood. I could hold my own in a variety of social situations.

For the past few years I have a lot of trouble finding words. I find that my conversations are now lacking the 'big' words I used to use. When I'm talking, a word that would normally be immediately available to me is now a blank space in my mind, and I instead use a basic word. An example: While talking I might use the 'Expansive" (as in my 1st sentence above), but when I draw a blank I'll instead say, "Big". This problem is not quite so bad when I'm typing.

So, are these lapses on the spectrum Senior Moments?

I take Prevegen and believe it helps. I don’t know if there’s scientific evidence to support it, but I despise paying the $30 a month but continue do so because I think it works. If I didn’t, I would have dumped it in a heartbeat.

[lmack]

Originally Posted by bsloan1960

I'm 65. I have always had, and used a pretty expansive vocabulary- not scholarly but enough to be sure I was understood. I could hold my own in a variety of social situations.

For the past few years I have a lot of trouble finding words. I find that my conversations are now lacking the 'big' words I used to use. When I'm talking, a word that would normally be immediately available to me is now a blank space in my mind, and I instead use a basic word. An example: While talking I might use the 'Expansive" (as in my 1st sentence above), but when I draw a blank I'll instead say, "Big". This problem is not quite so bad when I'm typing.

So, are these lapses on the spectrum Senior Moments?

A lot of good referrals in here. I’d like to share that my husband was having some word search issues a couple years ago and I read an article that talked about the brain like a muscle that we need to exercise (especially as we age). It suggested things like reading and puzzles (multiple kinds of puzzles, not just one) as exercise. Hubby has been doing that ever sense and is much improved. As others have said, seniors often experience some word search issues so he still does but much less. And, his ample vocabulary when young has been returning and he can wiz thru a crossword now (almost like his younger years) and only likes the hard sudoku now.

So, I’m certainly not saying ignore the issues. Discuss with a dr (as he did also). But you might also benefit from some ‘exercising your brain’ puzzles too.

[Two Bills]

Wife and I are 86 and 83 respectively.
Crosswords, reading, walking and travel seem to keep us mentally alert.
Not too much television seems to stop brain 'Zombyfying' as well.
Chat with younger people.
We are lucky to have grandson and family nearby, and we regularly speak with him and his teenage senior year class mates.

Health Warning.
Avoid old people as much as possible.
Research has shown that in some cases, over exposure can cause brain damage!

[TomDTV]

My wife had a similar issue over 10 years ago when she was in her mid 60s. In her case, it ultimately led to dementia. For others I've known, it seems part of aging

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by msilagy

When a post said tested by them - who is them? Charter research or Synexus???? Your post always goes to end so does not match up.

You should quote the test you are referring to but think it was to me.

We were tested by Charter Research.

[YeOldeCurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Cheapbas

I take Prevegen and believe it helps. I don’t know if there’s scientific evidence to support it, but I despise paying the $30 a month but continue do so because I think it works. If I didn’t, I would have dumped it in a heartbeat.

What makes you think it works? Not doubting you, just wondering what it is that makes you think that?

[LG999]

Are you talking to as many people as you used to? If not, try to call a few people each day and look for places you can engage people in conversation.

[LG999]

Yes, and stress is not our friend either

[snbrafford]

Originally Posted by dnobles

Charter Research advertises in the Daily Sun often 352 441 2000. I don’t have any experience with them. Just saw the ad

I saw the ad too and have a family history. I went and got tested for two different studies and fortunately don't have any of the markers in my blood sample to qualify me for either test. They ask some screening memory questions that if you "remember" or know the answer on them, you move forward to a blood test checking for the "markers" for the particular drug test they are running. This is the way it was done for me but not sure if there are other methods for other drug tests. I told them to keep my name on their list of the willing in case any other tests come along.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by LuvNH

I think your post is excellent. We have the same type of forgetfulness, especially with words. I can see it, feel it on my tongue and cannot get it out. I put it down to living in TV. Rarely do we have the type of conversation we had when we were working, or the opportunity to sit and converse with younger more intellectual people. Our discussions and speech patterns in TV start and end with Good Morning, how are you, and Well, see you later.

The fear of dementia is ever present as we age. I notice that when we are back with our family, especially adult grandchildren, our vocabulary gets much better. This last sentence says it all, I could have ended with "our vocabulary improves immensely".

I think that "having conversations with younger people" would ONLY have a MARGINAL effect on what is known as WORD-RETRIEVAL problems. I have a friend that is a speech therapist that agrees with me about it being marginal. Plus I am VERY old and I OFTEN have meaningful conversations at the swimming pool with younger 40 and 50-year-old people. This time of year there is a lot of that age group down here visiting (and thinking about if would this be a good place for them to retire). My speech therapist friend suggests getting a memory book that has suggestions of how to create your own memory prompts for associating various things to their noun names. She also suggests doing crossword puzzles and Suduko.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by LuvNH

I think your post is excellent. We have the same type of forgetfulness, especially with words. I can see it, feel it on my tongue and cannot get it out. I put it down to living in TV. Rarely do we have the type of conversation we had when we were working, or the opportunity to sit and converse with younger more intellectual people. Our discussions and speech patterns in TV start and end with Good Morning, how are you, and Well, see you later.

The fear of dementia is ever present as we age. I notice that when we are back with our family, especially adult grandchildren, our vocabulary gets much better. This last sentence says it all, I could have ended with "our vocabulary improves immensely".

I have some advice in that situation, "where conversations are not too deep - rather superficial - like something about the weather
.......The answer my friend is blowing in the recreation news wind. There ANYONE can find a PLETHORA (sorry I just could not stop myself) of GROUP activities for both sport and social mental activities.
.......Socrates's motto was MIND and BODY!!!!!! Find both activities in the rec news and improve your word retrieval and physical chances of living longer!

[Nucky]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

Wife and I are 86 and 83 respectively.
Crosswords, reading, walking and travel seem to keep us mentally alert.
Not too much television seems to stop brain 'Zombyfying' as well.
Chat with younger people.
We are lucky to have grandson and family nearby, and we regularly speak with him and his teenage senior year class mates.

Health Warning.
Avoid old people as much as possible.
Research has shown that in some cases, over exposure can cause brain damage!

Well, one thing I can say for certain is you sure are one hip guy for your age. I think the people who are at another level than me (65) are so much more interesting to talk to than people my age who think we know everything. We were surrounded by people older than us but way more active than us and way smarter than us in so many ways. I never rejected their point of view on anything. So many times even when I didn't agree with them they turned out to be in the correct lane on whatever we were talking about.

I hope and pray I can progress to the upper tier age-wise and become a little wiser and stay teachable throughout the rest of my life.

I enjoy the hell out of your posts. Thanks for the laughs along the way.

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

Being your age and having had 7 concussions from sports in my lifetime, I feel your pain. I have similar issues when highly stressed or very tired. My mom has serious dementia, and can't remember anything for more than 5 minutes. One of the accelerants of dementia is isolation. Because with isolation, you don't speak so you can lose the use of vocabulary faster than when speaking regularly. The pandemic isolation did my mom in, as well as being a widow starting at age 89, she is now 96. Activity level of regular exercise and regular socialization and good sleep patterns will help slow the advance if you are predisposed to the disease.

All of this information was learned during regular visits with her neurologist until i had to put her in assisted living. And I also learned I was predisposed due to the head injuries, and I do feel those issues as well. . . but I also do crossword puzzles at night to keep the words alive in the brain. . you might want to try word puzzles as a way to keep those words in your active library

doomed guy

I forced myself to self-isolate during the pandemic. I reduced my socialization to only 1 person for about 3 years. About 4 weeks ago I finally felt that it was SAFE to return to normal socialization with REAL people. I STILL avoid indoor groups. But, DO engage with groups for outdoor sports activities. I have a lot of catching up to do (and I imagine that probably about 10% of the US population acted like myself) Three years is a long time to walk away from people and people-oriented activities. It is like returning from prison (I can imagine). I would make occasional trips to Publix wearing a mask and maintaining as much distance as possible.
......I tried to stay in physical shape at home with springs and weights and yard work, but nothing is the same as the activity which produces adrenaline from even MILD competition. My muscles and back are still sore after 4 weeks - it takes longer to get over the initial pain the older you get. also I put on about 15 lbs that I really do NOT WANT or need! It used to take one week to stop the muscles from hurting when I was 20 to 25 years old, now at least 4 weeks.
.......But, I am ALIVE and that was the POINT !
........And my point with respect to the memory/language and AGING issue is that lack of exercise and socialization whether caused by Pandemic isolation or other reasons can cause memory loss and word-retrieval loss.
.......I know because I experienced BOTH.
.......Actually, during that 3-year hiatus of mine, it DID help to engage in communicating with those TOTV-ers with the very positive and intellectual outlooks that many have. I EVEN finally learned not to talk politics and spend time in the solitary lock-up. Although I still think that politics can NEVER be separated from life. And we should have a special section to talk about that ....after all we are all consenting adults.
.........As I mentioned before .....Socrates main statement was "MIND and BODY" so my humble advice is to read the rec news and join an investment club, or a movie club, or a chess club and play something of a physical activity like shuffleboard, darts, yoga, or even that elbow killer......Pickle's ball.....as a last resort........but, hopefully BEFORE GOLF........uugg, uugg !

[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by kp11364

I have had that issue occasionally for as long as I can remember - one mechanism that works wonders is to give yourself a "short-circuit".

By this, I mean if you grasping for a word, think of a question and answer that has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with the word you want. Example: "How many arms does an octopus have?" More times than not, this momentary shift will get you back on the main track.

An octopus can have 8 arms MINUS any that he/she recently lost in a fight with a bigger, tougher creature. But, EVENTUALLY, they grow back to 8, I believe.