“I can’t remember anything anymore!” complains an overworked, busy mom. “No, I didn’t forget, you never told me” says the elderly husband to his wife. Both these people are forgetful, but the situations are entirely different. What each represents and how they are addressed varies, but are also somewhat alike. Let me explain.
Friends and new acquaintances often kiddingly comment on how they could use MemoryMinders help with forgetfulness. It’s typically a comment similar to above regarding their memory not being quite as sharp. They are busy professionals, moms or people juggling multiple responsibilities. The reason for their forgetfulness is distinct and an easier fix than that of the older person.
The older person in the example above is having a hard time remembering that they forgot something. This is an entirely different type of forgetfulness. This person may or may not realize there’s an issue and either doesn’t want to acknowledge it or will do so only after being convinced there is a problem. For this individual, the underlying issue and the subsequent action plan are much more complex.
The most important thing for both of these individuals is to pay attention. The overworked mom or professional needs to stop multitasking. But often this person won’t stop multitasking for various reasons. It’s gratifying to assist these individuals to minimize their forgetfulness. But they need a desire to adjust their life to achieve and sustain mind and memory wellness.
Paying attention also holds true for the second, older individual. A senior citizen must focus more intently for entirely different reasons. Their older brain needs extra time to process, which is a normal part of aging. There also may be an underlying condition in their brain causing diminished memory. But similar to the younger person, the older person also must also possess a will to be proactive regarding their mind and memory wellness, not dismiss or deny the issue.
I often get calls and inquiries from children and friends of people with memory issues. They desperately want their loved one to join one of our groups or receive help from MemoryMinders. I encourage them and we discuss how our strategies are like an exercise class. You have to be motivated for it to help. A prerequisite is a desire to enact lifestyle changes to reach your goal. Some really don’t want to change. For others, their memory loss may be too far progressed as evidenced by denial of any issue.
The common goal for both of these people is to acknowledge their memory issue and choose to take action. Both situations represent those we can and love to serve at MemoryMinders. Whether it’s speaking to a small or large group, facilitating small group sessions or working one on one with individuals, we can help.
If you or a loved one has a desire to remember more and enjoy a healthier mind, contact us for how MemoryMinders can craft an action plan to help. Be aware and take care of your memory, because life is better when we make our moments memorable!
*(Ironically, though complete, I forgot 🙂 to post this early enough for my email subscribers to receive it Monday morning. My apologies-I fall into the first category. This is why I do what I do, while trying to follow my own action plan for memory wellness!)