Never Underestimate Subjective Cognitive Decline
- meredithprendys
- Jun 19, 2024
- 1 min read
I learned many years ago that when someone is experiencing memory/cognitive decline, the signs are typically first noticed, and voiced, by loved ones and others who are close to the individual experiencing the decline. But, what needs to also be brought to the forefront - and blinking in neon lights - is the fact that so many adults ignore the signs themselves; perhaps writing them off as normal aging, or choosing not to put focus on them due to unfortunate stigmas. When a loved one expresses feelings of something wrong with their thinking, processing, memory, etc., we need to take that at face value and bring attention to the issues, no matter how we feel they present to us. And, we need to do the same for ourselves. Please take a look at the attached article regarding Subjective Cognitive Decline published in 2018 by the CDC, and remember that impairment comes in various forms and at various levels, and WE are our greatest advocate.
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/data/subjective-cognitive-decline-brief.html
Reading this made me think back to the summer after I turned fifty‑two, when I started noticing that I’d misplace my keys more often and struggled to recall the names of coworkers I’d worked with for years. At first I brushed it off as normal aging, but the occasional “tip‑of‑the‑tongue” moments grew more frequent, and I found myself double‑checking emails before sending them. I mentioned it to my doctor, who asked about subjective cognitive decline rather than waiting for formal testing https://www.theage.com.au/ That conversation sparked a series of lifestyle tweaks—more puzzles, a stricter sleep schedule, and a deliberate effort to stay socially active. Within a few months, the fog lifted enough that I could finish a novel without rereading chapters.…