At the first sign of forgetfulness, caregivers and seniors alike often jump to the scary conclusion Alzheimer's is looming ? and the next step is dementia. Or they may assume absent-mindedness is simply a natural part of aging and do nothing about it.

It's true some memory loss accompanies aging, starting in midlife and accelerating after age 75. But often an underlying cause ? a medication, for instance, or alcohol ? can make it worse, and identifying the culprit can help moderate, or even alleviate, the problem.

Caregivers are often the first to notice a pattern of unusual forgetfulness. If you become aware the senior you care for suffers from greater memory loss than is typical for their age, you or they need to speak candidly to a doctor. Even when no cure for the problem exists, simple strategies can help people work around their memory loss and keep their minds sharp.

What are common causes of unusual memory loss?

Common causes include:

• Depression, which can be so severe it mimics dementia.

• Drinking, medications or a combination of the two. Many of the most common drugs for such conditions as anxiety, heartburn, high blood pressure, sleeplessness and pain can cause memory problems.

• Poor nutrition and vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin B12.

• Dehydration.

• Thyroid problems.

• Sleeplessness.

What can be done about memory loss?

Many solutions involve active help from caregivers. With encouragement and supervision, a senior can reduce or eliminate their intake of alcohol, improve their nutrition and vitamin regimen, drink plenty of water, seek treatment for depression and insomnia, and try to avoid stress. If a medication is the culprit, changing it can be tricky but is often possible with a doctor's guidance.

If you've addressed all the possible physical causes and the problem persists, you still have ways to help a senior cope with mild to moderate memory loss. A few hints:

• Stimulating the brain sharpens thinking and keeps the circuits clicking. It's the neural equivalent of a gym workout. Seniors should read, write, volunteer, take up painting ? and tackle memory exercises available in self-help books. Seniors will often need a gentle push from caregivers to start new projects and keep up with old ones.

• A walk or other moderate exercise wakes up a sleepy brain and can fend off depression, anxiety and other emotional disorders that can affect memory.

• Writing down reminders ? about a phone message or a chore to be done later, for example ? helps in two ways. It psychologically reinforces the thought and provides a concrete reminder to fall back on.

• Connecting new people or objects with already familiar words can help strengthen memory. For instance, a new acquaintance's name may be the same as a relative's or a favorite actor's. Creating the mental connection can make the acquaintance's name easier to remember.

• Strategies such as always putting keys or a pocketbook in the same place can help a senior avoid misplacing items, one of the most frustrating aspects of memory loss.

Does memory loss mean Alzheimer's is inevitable?

Researchers are beginning to study this question. Scientists at the Mayo Clinic have identified a condition they call mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, which falls between normal memory loss associated with age and the extreme loss experienced by people with Alzheimer's.

They studied 76 people with MCI and found that over time their mental abilities declined faster than those of healthy people but not as fast as people with early or mild Alzheimer's. The study has been expanded to 720 people at up to 80 research institutions. Among questions researchers hope to answer is whether people with MCI are at higher risk of Alzheimer's and if vitamin E or medications can slow the progression.

Tips for caregivers

• Check with the doctor to see if medications a senior is taking may be part of the problem, and keep an eye on their drinking and nutrition.

• Encourage a frustrated senior to stay calm. Worry and anxiety raise stress levels, which can make memory problems worse.

• Don't test a senior's memory needlessly because this will increase the level of frustration without helping to sharpen recall.

• Help them organize daily activities into an easily repeatable routine. Sort out their pills a week ahead of time. Tape a large calendar to the wall by the bedside so they can jot down important dates and appointments. Keep a list of key phone numbers by the telephone.

• Encourage them to carry a pad and pencil so they can write notes to themselves whenever something important comes to mind.

Source www.caregiverzone.com