Baycrest

4 • BrainMatters • Spring/Summer 2022 CONCERNED ABOUT MEMORY LOSS? As we age, some changes in memory can be expected. While one's memory can be affected by many factors, such as nutrition and mental activity, minor lapses are generally considered part of normal age-related changes in the brain and should not affect the regular activities of everyday life. Simple habits, such as making lists, recording appointments on a calendar and paying a bit more attention to certain tasks, can help reduce these frustrating but normal lapses in memory. Cognitive problems that are of more concern include repeating oneself multiple times within a conversation, getting lost in a familiar place, leaving pots on the stove to burn and forgetting important or meaningful events shortly after they happen. If you are having any of these problems, or if you are starting to have difficulty doing things that you used to do, such as managing your finances or your appointments, then it is time to talk to your doctor about your concerns. At this time, there is no test, simple or otherwise, that will accurately diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Doctors use a variety of procedures to rule out other possible causes before making a diagnosis of potential or probable Alzheimer's disease. However, there are a few online tests that purport to assess an individual's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Some are still in development, and some require the involvement of a clinician at the time of testing. Although not designed to diagnose Alzheimer's disease, Cogniciti's online Brain Health Assessment (cogniciti.com) is a cognitive screening tool. It helps adults aged 20 to 94 years determine whether their cognitive abilities, such as memory and attention, are within the range expected for their age, or whether they should visit their doctor for further evaluation. By completing the free Cogniciti Brain Health Assessment, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes, you will receive feedback and a recommendation about whether to talk to your doctor about your memory concerns. If your score is below normal, you will also be provided with a report to take to your physician. Once you've taken the Brain Health Assessment, you can start tracking your overall health with our Smart Tracker by monitoring your diet, sleep and exercise. Baycrest also has a wide range of health information resources available at Baycrest.org/Baycrest/Health-information. Resource topics include dementia and memory, general heath and well-being, mental health, safety, end of life and paliative care, and caregiving. This article was compiled from information by: Dr. Gillian Rowe, Psychologist, Baycrest and Dr. Angela Troyer, Psychologist, Baycrest

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