Forgetting Things More Often Than You Used To? Then Fight Back!

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 16 Mar 2009 - 8:00 PDT

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While age-related changes can make recalling and recollecting somewhat more challenging than they used to be, research finds that older adults can boost their memory power in a number of ways. Conquering the globe is just one: In a recent study, researchers found that older adults improved their memory and certain other mental abilities by playing a video game in which players use planning and strategy to take over the world. Simply expecting to remember things can also help older people recall and recollect, another study finds. Additional research suggests that including carbohydrates in your diet and swearing off multitasking can improve memory as well.

"You Must Remember This: Advice for Improving Your Memory from the American Geriatrics Society's Foundation for Health in Aging" -- the Foundation for Health in Aging's (FHA's) latest health tip sheet for older people and their caregivers-- summarizes recent memory research and offers easy-to-follow tips for remembering and recollecting based on this research.

Posted on http://www.healthinaging.org, the FHA's free, public education site, the tip sheet explains how other simple lifestyle changes can boost memory as well. Getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet (one that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources like brain-and heart-healthy fish) can help. So can seeing your healthcare provider regularly, and letting him or her know, immediately, if you may be experiencing medication-related side effects. The FHA's new tip sheet also includes tried and true memory tricks that people have been using, for thousands of years, to remember where they left their keys.

Other easy-to-read health tip sheets for older adults and their caregivers in the popular FHA series cover such topics as cold and hot weather safety, immunizations, falls prevention, emergency planning, safe sex, and joint replacement surgery for older people.

About The FHA

In 1999, the American Geriatrics Society reached beyond its traditional role as a professional medical society and launched the AGS Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA). The FHA aims to build a bridge between geriatrics health care professionals and the public, and advocate on behalf of older adults and their special needs: wellness and preventive care, self-responsibility and independence, and connections to family and community. The FHA champions initiatives in public education, clinical research, and public policy that advance the principles and practice of geriatrics medicine; educate policy makers and the public on the health care needs and concerns of older adults; support aging research that reduces disability and frailty, and improves quality of life and health outcomes; encourage older adults to be effective advocates for their own health care; and help family members and caregivers take better care of their older loved ones and themselves.

About The AGS

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people. The Society supports this mission through activities in clinical practice, professional and public education, research, and public policy. With an active membership of over 6,500 health care professionals, the Society has become a pivotal force in shaping attitudes, policies, and practices in geriatric medicine.

Source
American Geriatrics Society