Most people tend to think that forgetfulness is an initial manifestation or sign of Alzheimer’s or other memory-related diseases. However, this notion is a misconception even in adulthood or the elderly. While sometimes age comes with memory loss because the brain cells are no longer actively regenerated, it is not always a certainty. Nonetheless, some degree of memory issues, as well as a fair or moderate decline in other thinking and cognition skills, is averagely common in aging. Memory loss is a common thing even for young adults including children. For instance, most people will forget where they placed their car keys or even the names of individuals they have met over time or even just met.
Regardless of its drawbacks, memory loss in adulthood does not prevent an elderly individual from living a regular, full, and productive life. Most often, the elderly will forget a person’s name or a fundamental fact they want to pass on but will always remember it later. Other individuals associate memory loss in adulthood with other conditions other than Alzheimer’s such as dementia. While these are severe conditions that are prevalent among the elderly, they do not certainly define or characterize memory loss in older adulthood. Thus, it is essential to research and thereby create awareness regarding age-related memory loss in the bid to debunk some of the misconceptions attached to the topic and therefore increase and improve the outcome for the elderly in terms of care. Further, understanding memory loss in the elderly will help in early recognition and determination whether the concept is as a result of normal aging or an early sign of a more complex condition such as Alzheimer’s or dementia. This topic area as well helps in providing insight regarding the general discussion of memory loss, its comorbidity, and impacts.
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While memory loss in the elderly is dynamic, it references a more multifaceted general topic or area of memory loss. Memory loss as a concept has a broad scope that implicates some age-related conditions and complications such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, mild cognitive impairment, transient global amnesia, etc. Similar to adulthood; memory loss is a facet that affects younger adults including children. Nonetheless, given its dynamism no single factor causes memory loss in children; instead, a myriad of factors including disabilities such as learning disabilities encourage or exacerbate the condition. In some cases, even children present with elderly memory loss conditions. Meijneke, Van de Ven, & Schippers (2014) mention transient global amnesia as an example attesting that its occurrence in children is rarely described because the recovery process is spontaneous. Memory loss as well implicates neurobiology and neuroscience which explain how different parts of the brain work including those responsible for memory function such as the cerebellum, amygdala, and the hippocampus. Thus, with such vastness and depth, subjectivity is vital –a principle that has guided the selection of the topic area for this discourse.
Background/Literature Review
Aging can be a frightening period for the elderly above 65 years, especially when they begin to experience memory loss. The American Psychological Association (n.d) explains that most adults during this period start to wonder if they are developing Alzheimer’s or if they already have it. Further, they ponder if the memory loss is a sign for an early onset of one or more types of dementia. Despite this being a general fear for most elderly individuals APA ascertains that such worrisome conditions are not a normal part of the aging process even though aging is a risk factor. Adding to this literature is the National Institute on Aging (2018) which ascertains that not all individuals with memory loss or problems in older adulthood have Alzheimer’s. Statistically, the elderly rarely get conditions such as Alzheimer’s; only one in five individuals aged sixty-five and above as well as less than a half of those aged eighty-five and above get the disease, (APA, n.d). The association further posits that despite some type of memory in older adulthood decline some stay the same or even improve.
One such type of memory that improves with age is the semantic memory. Semantic memory refers to the ability to recall general facts and concepts that are exclusive of specific experiences. For instance, remembering that clocks are used to tell time is a general fact or notion that older adults cannot forget. Also, the procedural memory which denotes the process of accomplishing tasks such as telling time on a clock does not also change from childhood to older adulthood. On the other hand, the declining memory type pertains to information processing and learning new things, multitasking and shifting focus between tasks, as well as recalling specific experiences. Luszcz & Bryan (1999) also implicate working memory, executive function, and the sensory processes as mechanisms that influence memory loss in older adults. The APA (n.d) attributes these phenomena to normal brain changes –supported by neurobiological studies which ascertain that the brain is capable of regrowth, learning and retaining new information and skills throughout an individual’s life including adulthood. Corroborating with these assertions is Luszcz & Bryan (1999) who draw from their research to posit that normal aging memory loss is as a result of a substantial reduction in the speed of processing information in older adults. Nonetheless, to achieve such level of brain function one needs to exercise regularly and indulge in intellectual stimulation through puzzles and similar actions, (APA, n.d).
Even though memory loss is a relatively normal and common precept in older adulthood, some factors could worsen the condition either temporarily or long-term depending on the speed of intervention. The APA identifies these factors as depression, anxiety, infections, dehydration, thyroid imbalance, poor nutrition, medication side effects, substance abuse, as well as substance abuse. Through these factors, the memory loss in older adulthood results in difficulties undertaking daily tasks as well as problems in remembering names or past events, as ascertained by (Parikh et al., 2015). Parikh et al. thus identify amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) as one of the memory loss conditions related to aging.
Parikh et al. thus strived to find a correlation between memory loss due to normal aging and aMCI as well as the related difficulties in daily activities of both concepts. Inferring from their study, Parikh et al. (2015) found that memory loss associated with both normal aging and aMCI resulted in changed perceptions and feelings of self, changes in social and relationship interactions, deliberate increase in compensatory behaviors, and changes in work and leisure activities. However, these impacts were worse in elderly individuals with aMCI as opposed to those with normal memory changes due to aging. The researchers further ascertain that even though memory changes due to aMCI and normal aging in older adults are mild and insufficient to cause significant difficulties in undertaking daily tasks, differential quantitative and qualitative studies reveal subtle effects on complex daily tasks or activities such as taking medications, transportation, and financial management.
Memory loss in older adults can be mild and in some cases is associated with other medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis which consequently result in negative impacts on leisure, work, and social activities, (Parikh et al., 2015). On the other hand, when memory loss co-occurs with aMCI, it could specifically result in shame and embarrassment, frustration, burden, anxiety, reduced self-confidence, as well as emotionality (Parikh et al., 2015). Further research on age-related memory loss by Meijneke, van de Ven & Schippers (2014) also implicate transient global amnesia as an age-related condition that results in sudden memory loss. However, from the research, it is indicated that transient global amnesia is not localized to the older adults alone; the condition can as well affect children even though these cases are rare. In children, the condition appears with no abnormality and is not attributed to any emotional or physical stressors. Nonetheless, as mentioned earlier, spontaneous recovery is typical in children as opposed to when the condition occurs in older adulthood.
Memory loss in older adulthood can as well be comorbid with Alzheimer’s disease. This according to the National Institute on Aging (2018), could result in making poor decisions and judgments often as well as losing track of time or date as opposed to normal aging where the semantic memory remains intact as described by APA (n.d). In the bid to better comprehend memory loss in normal aging, the National Institute on Aging (2018) creates a distinction between age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s indicating that most of the aspects in age-related memory loss are forgotten but always remembered later as opposed memory loss due to Alzheimer’s. For instance, an elderly individual with age-related memory loss could forget which day it is but will often remember it later, but an elderly individual with Alzheimer’s completely loses track of date and time.
Also, in age-related memory loss, an individual could lose things occasionally as opposed to the case of Alzheimer’s where the individual often misplaces things or objects and is unable to locate them. Ultimately, while an individual with age-related memory loss may sometimes forget which word to use in a conversation, an individual with Alzheimer’s exhibits trouble or difficulties in having a conversation, National Institute of Aging, 2018).
Limitations/Future Direction
In essence, the background studies and research presented in the review above fail to proffer additional information regarding whether there are specific treatment options or interventions for memory loss, especially during aging. Further, they fail to point out the primary and unique type of care to be accorded to elderly individuals experiencing memory loss. Since memory loss is a multifaceted concept, the research and background studies above do not indicate whether genetics play a role in normal age-related memory loss. Moreover, whether age-related memory loss begins earlier and continues into older adulthood from the age of 65 is not measured.
Further, the specific age that marks the onset of memory loss due to aging is not presented; do all individuals have a particular period that marks the emergence of the phenomenon or does the age vary for different individuals? If so, what are the factors that bring about this variation? Also, since age-related memory loss impacts daily activities, to what extent or degree does the impacts require outside attention such as a nursing home?
Based on the broad implications and dynamism of this research, future research and study should consider and concentrate their efforts on the differential factors that result in memory loss before older adulthood and if or how these factors affect memory loss in the same. Further, all mechanisms that lead or contribute to memory loss in older adulthood should be identified and measured to paint a vivid picture regarding future targeted interventions. Future research should as well measure the risk of comorbidity between memory loss and memory-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia as they appertain to age, especially older adulthood. Since this research implicates the elderly more than any other age group, there is a need for future research to specify interventions and strategies that can be generalized for the entire elderly population regarding improving their health outcomes.
References
American Psychological Association. (n.d). Memory and aging. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/pi/aging/memory-and-aging.pdf
Luszcz, M. A., & Bryan, J. (1999). Toward understanding age-related memory loss in late adulthood. Gerontology , 45 (1), 2-9. DOI: 10.1159/000022048
Meijneke, R.W., Van de Ven, E.A. & Schippers, H.M. (2014). A 9-year-old boy with sudden memory loss. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd, 158 (6): A6962. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24495373
National Institute on Aging. (2018). Do memory problems always mean Alzheimer’s disease? National Institutes of Health . Retrieved from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/do-memory-problems-always-mean-alzheimers-disease
Parikh, P. K., Troyer, A. K., Maione, A. M., & Murphy, K. J. (2015). The impact of memory change on daily life in normal aging and mild cognitive impairment. The Gerontologist , 56 (5), 877-885. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnv030
