Dealing with memory loss

Having researched memory for 30 years, our special adviser Professor Catherine Loveday has applied everything she knows to support her mum, who is living with Alzheimer’s Disease. Here she tells us the 5 things she did with her mum in the early years of her memory loss.

1. Write a short journal every evening – it doesn’t have to be much, but just jotting down something about the day helps to reinforce the memories. Then each night, read back over the last few days entries. It takes a bit of discipline and some days are bound to be better than others but my mum did this for at least 8 years and it really made a difference to her everyday memory.

2. Capture and curate important memories – one certain thing with a progressive dementia is that memories will gradually fade, especially in Alzheimer’s Disease. Mum and I worked together to capture and talk about some of her most important memories. These have turned out to be so valuable in terms of understanding some of her feelings and responses as the dementia develops, but also it helps us to scaffold her identity with memories that she has chosen, rather than ones we think might be important.

3. Stay active and eat well – anything we can do to support general health will have knock on impacts on the brain. Exercise and movement has been shown to be particularly valuable. We’re not talking about running marathons, but just keeping walking as much as possible and keeping muscles active and strong.

4. Reduce cognitive load around the house – label cupboards, use a whiteboard, have a big desk diary with a moveable “today” sticker; use medication sorters; get a dementia clock, put lights and heating on timers, avoid rearranging belongings and kitchen equipment

5. Plan for the future now – get power of attorney in place for both health and finances; discuss preferences around ongoing and later care plans; (and see point 2 above). But listen to episode 3 of Mempathy to understand why thinking and talking about the future is difficult for people with memory loss.

Everyone is different and what worked for me may not work for you, but I hope you find some of these suggestions helpful.

Mempathy podcast

This is a must listen for anyone who has friends or family living with dementia. Catherine co-hosts the Mempathy podcast with her friend Sonia who share experiences and offer practical evidence-based tips. Episodes cover everything from when memory is something to be concerned about to whether to contradict someone living with dementia, or not.
You can listen to all episodes wherever you get your podcasts - or online HERE