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Sunday November 22, 2009 12:34 PM ET
SmartMoney
Worksheets

How Good Is Your Memory?

FORGOT WHERE you put your keys? We all have our "senior moments," but when should you worry that it might be more than the normal aging process? Only a doctor can tell you for sure, but take our test as a starting point:

1.  Have you forgotten about an event you had been looking forward to?

Why it could be a sign: It’s okay to mix up your schedule during a busy week or forget a commitment, but not if you miss something that should have been well engrained in your memory, like your mother’s birthday party.


Yes
No


2.  Are you getting frustrated performing certain skills that used to come easily, such as balancing your checkbook?

Why it could be a sign: If you’re forgetting a skill rather than a fact, it could indicate a bigger problem.


Yes
No


3.  Have you gotten lost in a familiar neighborhood, even your own or a family member’s?

Why it could be a sign: Making a wrong turn if you’re distracted is normal, but becoming disoriented to place and time is something more typical in people with Alzheimer’s or dementia.


Yes
No


4.  Have you forgotten a recent event entirely, such as a trip to the bank earlier this week, despite being reminded of it?

Why it could be a sign: It's normal to forget details or certain parts of an experience, but not the entire event or the fact that it occurred.


Yes
No


5.  Have you forgotten something you used to have committed to memory, like a phone number or address?

Why it could be a sign: You shouldn’t suddenly forget something that was deeply entrenched in your memory and easy to recall until recently.


Yes
No


6.  Are you having trouble referencing time? For example, have you confused something that happened yesterday with something that happened a few weeks ago?

Why it could be a sign: The inability to recognize chronology could show you’re having trouble distinguishing memories in terms of time and place.


Yes
No


7.  Have you found an object somewhere it doesn’t belong, like your toothbrush in the freezer?

Why it could be a sign: This shows you’re having trouble recognizing what things are and how they are used. People diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia often show poor judgment, such as dressing for the wrong season or making unusual financial decisions.


Yes
No


8.  Do you frequently forget words when speaking?

Why it could be a sign: You might call it a "senior moment" when this happens from time to time, but take heed if it’s occurring frequently and affecting your ability to communicate effectively.


Yes
No


9.  Has a friend or family member suggested you see a doctor about your memory loss?

Why it could be a sign: Someone who has a serious problem with memory loss could be the last to recognize it.


Yes
No


10.  Have you felt unusually dependent on someone? For example, you won’t leave the house unless your spouse is with you?

Why it could be a sign: There are often personality changes associated with developing Alzheimer’s and dementia, including dependency, mood swings and loss of motivation.


Yes
No


Sources: Alzheimer's Association; P. Murali Doraiswamy, an Alzheimer's expert at Duke University Medical Center; Rosebud Roberts, associate professor of epidemiology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
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