Memory

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• QHow can I remember my doctor's instructions?

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  A Shelley Peterman Schwarz , Neurology, answered

  Ask for videotaped instructions for special procedures to perform at home. If you have difficulty remembering how to do a special procedure or technique ordered by the doctor, ask the nursing staff if they will make a videotape to show you what needs to be done. They might also explain the reason for the procedures and possible complications. If a videotape is not feasible, you might create a photo book with simple explanations illustrated by pictures of equipment, procedures and so forth.
  
  Take along plain self-adhesive labels when you go to the doctor's office. If your doctor prescribes medication, write down what the doctor tells you and stick it on the bottle when you get the prescription filled.

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• QHow can I improve my memory?

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  A Dr. Neal D. Barnard, MD , Psychiatry, answered

  

  In addition to healthy eating, you can exercise your brain and improve memory by exercising your body, as well as doing mental exercise to stimulate your memory. Watch Neal Barnard, MD, discuss how both types of exercises keep your mind sharp.

  
  

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  How Can I Improve My Memory?
  Buy DVD

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• QHow can I remember people's names?

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  A Shelley Peterman Schwarz , Neurology, answered

  Here are some tips to help you remember names:
  

  • Use repetition. Try to use a person's name two or three times during a conversation. It'll help you remember the name.

  • Spell names in your head. If you have difficulty remembering names, try spelling them in your head. Associating faces with the spelling of names activates multiple memory pathways in your brain.

  • Link names to a place or occupation. It's easier to remember something if you link it to something else. When you meet new people, associate their names with their occupations or the group in which you met them (e.g., Skier Bob). Picture them in that place with a nametag to identify them.

  • Create a mental picture of the person. To remember someone's name, picture the person, what they do, where they live or other things you can remember. This may bring to mind a letter of the alphabet, which you can build on by going through all the names you can think of that begin with that letter until the correct one comes to mind.

  • Use association or word pictures to remember names. Here are some examples to help you remember names by associating them with pictures: "Shave" for "Dave," "Cave-in" for "Kevin," "Cross" for "Chris." It may take practice before you can do this automatically.

  • Rhyme names. A tip for remembering names: Try to rhyme the person's name with a color, group or something else that associates the person with the name (e.g., Mr. Green Gene, Redheaded Deb, Bike Mike). Use a word or memory key that will remind you not only of the person but also of something about that person.

  • Review the names of attendees before meetings, events and reunions, especially if you haven't seen people recently. If possible, obtain a guest list prior to the event. If you have pictures to go along with the names, all the better.

  • Ask people to help you remember names. Some people find it easy to remember people's names. If you have difficulty, however, be honest and tell people when you meet them. Ask them to remind you of their name the next time you meet.

  • Use a sense of humor. If you regularly have memory lapses, make up a humorous response for common situations, such as "I'm having a senior moment" or "I didn't recognize you -- you changed your clothes." At your next office party or reunion, try wearing a button that says, "Nice to see you. I can't remember your name either." tips to remember names, how to remember names, techniques to remember names, memorizing names  

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• QHow does memory work?

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  A NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital answered

  A region of the brain called the hippocampus is involved in fixing new memories. The hippocampus is made up of several regions (the entorhinal cortex, dentate gyrus, CA1 subfield and subiculum) that work together as a circuit in learning new memories, according to Dr. Scott Small – "the name of someone you met recently, where you put your keys, a new software program." Aging, diabetes, vascular diseases, and stroke all damage the hippocampus, but each targets a different region. Alzheimer's disease, for example, affects the entorhinal cortex, and stroke affects the CA1 subfield and the subiculum, while normal cognitive aging targets the dentate gyrus. "The early stages of Alzheimer's and normal aging look very similar using standard memory tests, though," said Dr. Small, "because they access the whole circuit. It's as though different parts of your computer are down, but the end result is the same, it's not working."

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• QHow can I learn new things to improve my memory?

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  A Shelley Peterman Schwarz , Neurology, answered

  To learn new things, challenge yourself with word games and puzzles, stay informed about the world around you and try new things. Go online or enroll in an interesting class; learn a new language, hobby or musical instrument; make a new friend; become a volunteer. Learning new things will add new brain cells and strengthen memory connections. learning new things memory, new challenges memory improvement, how learn new things  
• QHow do word games benefit the brain?

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  A Dr. Cynthia R. Green, PhD , Psychology, answered

  Word games can be addictive. Many of us love these puzzles, and they are without doubt the most popular kind of game among my clients. How are word games good for our brains? Such activities keep us intellectually engaged by getting us to "stretch" our thinking. Unlike timed activities, which offer us a different kind of challenge, word games (and puzzles, board games, and the like) grab our attention, get us to make new connections, and give us the chance to think outside of our mind's box.

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• QHow can socializing help improve my memory?

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  A RealAge answered

  There is a simple way to hone your mind. Try calling a friend. Staying in touch with friends and loved ones could slow the pace at which your memory dwindles with age.
  
  In a study of 16,638 older adults, people who were married, active in volunteer groups, and in regular contact with friends, family and neighbors had slower declines in memory than their less social counterparts. In fact, declines in the most socially active types were about half of those in the least social group. (Social interaction can bolster this, too.)
  
  How do social ties bolster a waning memory? Researchers aren't exactly sure, but it's possible the greater sense of meaning and emotional acceptance that social connections foster may support healthy brain chemistry.

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• QHow can I use gadgets to help me remember things?

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  A Shelley Peterman Schwarz , Neurology, answered

  Here are some tips on how to use gadgets to help you remember things:
  

  • Set an alarm to remind you to do tasks. To keep track of tasks you need to do during the day set an alarm clock and carry it around with you. To help you remember what the alarm is reminding you to do, write the list of tasks and times on a white board (write on/wipe off) and post in a prominent and convenient place, such as the kitchen. As a double check to make sure you haven't forgotten anything, mark off each task as you do it.

  • Program your pager with reminders such as when to take your medications, move the sprinkler in the yard or perform other household tasks.

  • Program numbers into your cell phone if you have trouble remembering. The new models will store up to 100 phone numbers. Use speed-dial for important family numbers, so you can dial a number automatically by holding down only a single button.

  • Personal data assistant. If you like gadgets, purchase an electronic pocket organizer or personal data assistant (PDA). Use it to keep your address book, appointment calendar, notes and to-do lists. Some PDAs have a built-in tape recorder.

  • Tape record reminders on audiocassette and microcassette recorders and cell phones. Daily tasks, comforting messages and recipes can be put on the tapes. Pictures on the plastic cassette case and a magnifying glass could also be helpful.

  • Record step-by-step instructions on a StepPAD. "Play" repeats the cue as often as needed; "Forward" moves to the next step; "Rewind" goes back to the previous one. You can reprogram the StepPad easily, changing one step without affecting others in the sequence.

  • Use an answering machine to remember. When you are out and about and it isn't possible to write yourself a reminder note, use your cell phone to leave a message on your home answering machine.

  • Take digital pictures of class or meeting notes. If you have difficulty taking notes or remembering points at meetings or in class, take a digital picture of the noteboard or charts and import it into your computer to review later.

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