5 Things to Do When Your Relative's Memory is Fading

By Brittani Dick 

We are taught many lessons in life, but an important one seems to fall through the cracks — how to deal with a loved one suffering from memory issues.

So, what steps should you take when your loved one is developing memory problems? Who do you turn to?

2 ways to improve forgetfulness

By Yelena Sapin

We all have those “senior moments” when we forget what we wanted to say or why we walked into a room. We may have trouble recalling a conversation, a name, the plot of a movie we watched, or whether we took our medicine. Some memory lapses and a general decline in sharpness can be a normal part of aging, but it can also signal that something more serious is going on mentally or physically. “A red flag is if you’re seeing your daily functioning negatively impacted or disrupted by forgetfulness or confusion,” says psychologist and neuropsychologist Dr. Jacquelyn Graven.

Read on for two simple solutions to help solve problems of forgetfulness.

Comfort someone who’s lost a pet

If you know someone who is grieving over the loss of a pet, Bob Mueller, senior director of mission and stewardship at Hosparus — and pet owner — shows you how your actions and words can make a difference.

Try a photo project!

Looking at photos of family, friends, and memories can be especially helpful to stimulate the memories of those with Alzheimer’s. Shutterfly.com is a great place to compile family photos into books, puzzles, and calendars to include in your caregiving or just to enjoy. A puzzle can even offer a fun activity for you and your loved one to do together. For more ideas on how to make your photo project especially beneficial for your loved one, check out this article from Alzheimers.net.

Try this on your next visit to a loved one with dementia

The long-term memory of a person with dementia is almost always preserved. When visiting a loved one with dementia, Teal Busteed, therapy program manager at Regis Woods Genesis Rehab Services, suggests...