How normal is memory loss with aging?

[Williamsmith]

My question is, how do we know the accuracy of the perceived deficiencies if the baseline we are relying on is our “memory” of how precise and instantaneous our brain function used to be? Perhaps it is not a function of reduced efficiency. Perhaps it is a function of capacity overload as we continue to add minutes, hours, days and years of information into the storage spaces in our brains.

[sweetana3]

Arthur Conan Doyle had Sherlock Holmes limit his exposure to some info because Sherlock said he only had so much room in his brain.

[Teacher Terry]

I am a excellent speller and sometimes I can’t remember exactly how to spell a word. Names of someone I rarely meet.

[catherine]

I am a excellent speller and sometimes I can’t remember exactly how to spell a word.

OMG, I have noticed that. I have always been an excellent speller as well, but more and more, I'm checking the internet to make sure I'm spelling something correctly.

[CathyA]

What was the question again?

. LOL!

[KayLR]

OMG, I have noticed that. I have always been an excellent speller as well, but more and more, I'm checking the internet to make sure I'm spelling something correctly.

I do that too, but mostly the thing where the word I want is just at the tip of my tongue and I can't come out with it. It does concern me, so glad to see it happens commonly.

Or....I dread coming in to the office on Monday and people asking me how my weekend was. Sometimes I can't reach easily back to Saturday and remember what happened. I find myself trying to make mental notes of things that are common everyday things, saying, "Now remember this on Monday when asked about your weekend."

[sweetana3]

KayLR,that exact thing about weekends hits me too. I may have done something slightly interesting but I have slept since then.

[CathyA]

I think it's true that our brains are so full of all kinds of minutia that something has to go. I have to make connections all the time with everything, in order to remember them. When my chickens were still alive, I would count them every evening after I shut them up in their coop. I would get back to the house and think "Did I shut their coop door??", and I'd have to go back out. Then I started saying outloud, while I was closing the door, what we were having for dinner. that way, I would remember saying dinner and know that I'd shut the door! But I forget all kinds of words. Then sometimes, I say a word and it's like I've never heard of it before.

I don't lose my keys or get lost, etc......but I have such a strong reaction to when I have short moments of forgetfulness. I put my shoes on as soon as I get up in the morning. the other day I went to go outside and looked down and my shoes were gone. I didn't remember taking them off! But I did remember that I was going to go to the garden, and usually put my old shoes on in the entranceway, so that's probably what happened. But dang......I hate that feeling of being confused for a few seconds. I think these things happen to my DH, but it doesn't bother him. I'm trying not to let it bother me so much, but it's hard. Now.....what was I saying? .............

[lmerullo]

I have a hard time remembering what day it is...I work M / W one place and T /Th / F another with weekends off. I can't tell you how many times I get up early on Saturday, or show up at my M /W job at the other job's start time...when that happens, I just read in the car! Also, I'll be discussing something and say yesterday to mean the last time I worked there, not the day before (which is similar to a child's time reference, I suppose).

[Yppej]

My mother does not have Alzheimer's per her doctor and my own observations (she remembers new events as well as distant ones) but is losing vocabulary. Some examples: mall ("that place with a lot of stores"), menopause ("you know that thing women your age have"). She uses a lot of synonyms. She is 77.