Are You Forgetful? 10 Simple Memory Strategies

Are you forgetful? Here are 10 of my favorite memory strategies. 

 You don’t need to use them all.  Just try a few and see what you like.

1.  Do you have a tendency to misplace your keys or your wallet?  If you’re like most of us, you do!  Try setting up a table, a shelf, or some other “landing place” near your front door. Every time you walk in the house, put your keys, your glasses, your wallet and whatever else you tend to take with you the next day and put them on the table or shelf. You’ll eventually get used to putting your things in one designated place and will do it automatically!  That way you don’t run risk of forgetting where things are when it’s time to go.

2.  Use a day planner that you can take with you. This seems so obvious, but many people don’t utilize this simple and efficient tool.  Update your calendar as you go through the day by adding appointments or writing notes to yourself.  If you don’t like carrying a notebook, learn to use the calendar function on your smart phone.

3.  Focus on one activity at a time.   Doing too many things at once makes it difficult to pay attention to any of it.  Attention is an important step in remembering – if you can’t pay attention to something, you are not going to remember it later.  If you’re working on a large project that can’t be easily finished, try breaking it down into small, manageable steps and finish each one in sequence.  Don’t forget to write the steps down so you can remember where you left off!

4.  Find a wall in the kitchen or the study where you can hang a bulletin board.  Keep a large calendar on the board to keep track of everyone’s appointments, birthdays, etc.  If you have a bill to pay, tack it to the bulletin board. You can write notes to yourself or pin appointment reminders to the board as well.  By keeping important information in one place, you reduce the risk of forgetting something.

If you have trouble remembering the date, cultivate the habit of crossing each date off before you go to bed.

5.  Do you have trouble remembering birthdays and anniversaries?  If so, you might consider buying a perpetual calendar. A perpetual calendar has the months and dates without the days of the week or the year. You don’t use it to keep track of appointments – you use it for events that occur on the same date every year, such as a birthday or anniversary.  This keeps you from having to write every important date into your calendar year after year.

Buy cards and stamps in advance so you always have them on hand and ready to go into the mail.

6.  Keep a list of things you need when you leave the house. This might include keys, your glasses, a wallet or purse, medications, cell phone, etc. Keep the list on your bulletin board or by your front door and check it before you leave the house.  You may also want to keep a tote bag that you take with you routinely.  Keep these items in the bag or close by to help you remember to take them along.

7.  When you put something on the stove or in the oven, set a timer to help you remember it’s there.  This can help prevent kitchen fires and keep you (and your food) safe!

A timer can also help you remember when to start getting ready to leave the house. For instance, if you have a doctor’s appointment at 10 and need to leave the house at 9, set the timer for 8 to remind you when you need to start getting ready.

8.  When you’re writing out your grocery list, group similar items together so you can find them easily in the store. For instance, most of the dairy products are kept in one part of the store, so list milk, cheese, eggs etc. together. Check them off your list as you go through the store so you don’t forget anything.

9.  Use Post-It notes.  When you’ve completed the item on the note, put it in the recycling.  This prevents you from getting confused by a long to do list.  I love Post-It notes and find it most helpful to stick a note to myself on the bathroom mirror where I am not likely to miss it.

10.  Keep it simple.  If your routines are too complicated, you are more likely to forget what you’re doing or where you’ve left something. Simplify your life.  Your brain will be glad you did!

We live in a fast paced society with information being thrown at us from every possible direction. Being forgetful doesn't necessarily mean you have Alzheimer's or dementia. You may be overwhelmed or under a lot of stress. By utilizing memory strategies, you can ease your stress level and simplify your daily routines.  Try it. You just might like it!

Do you have any favorite memory strategies?  If so, I’d like to hear about them.

Can chronic pain shrink your brain?

I see a lot of patients who are referred for a neuropsychological evaluation due to memory complaints who also have chronic pain. Often the medications used to treat pain result in a litany of cognitive complaints so these referrals are not surprising.

The Journal of Neuroscience (May 18, 2011) recently published the results of an interesting study that found treatment of chronic lower back pain actually lead to an improvement in cognition.

According to researchers, chronic pain is often associated with a reduction in the amount of gray matter in the brain, resulting in cognitive problems. Gray matter or "the little gray cells" as Hercule Poirot is fond of saying, are responsible for the transmission of sensory signals in the brain. The more gray matter a person has, the more intelligent they are said to be. A reduction in gray matter, then, leads to a reduction in cognitive ability.

Researchers found that treating lower back pain lead to an increase in the thickness in the cortex (outer layer) of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) which in turn lead to a improvement in a patient's attentional skills. Since attention is the first step in memory  -- you have to be able to pay sufficient attention to something you want to remember -- an attention deficit can feel like a memory problem.  By increasing the cortical thickness of the DLPFC, clinicians were able to show an improvement in a person's overall brain function.  In addition, patient's also had less pain and physical disability than before the treatment!

Could Your Memory Loss Be Early Alzheimer's?

Pat Summit is usually in the news for being the winningest coach in college basketball history. But she is in the spotlight now because she was recently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's.  The publicity surrounding her diagnosis has caused many people to wonder whether their forgetfulness is part of normal aging or is a sign of Alzheimer's. The Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) has published the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s.  These may help you decide whether or not the concerns you have about your own cognitive functioning or that of a loved one may warrant further attention:

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life.

Alzheimer’s is known to disrupt the hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays an important role in memory. One of the early signs of Alzheimer’s is memory loss, especially loss of memory for recent events or recently learned information. People may forget important dates or event; or ask the same questions over and over again or repeat the same information in conversation many times. People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may also begin to rely on memory aids such as lists, notes, etc.

What’s normal? Forgetting the occasional name or appointment, but being able to recall the information

later.

2. Difficulty in planning or problem solving.

Family members may notice that a loved one has new difficulty managing a checkbook or

working with numbers in any way. People sometimes develop trouble sequencing – for instance, losing the ability to following a series of steps in a recipe or follow the directions on a new device or gadget. They may also have difficulty with concentration and it may take longer to do things than it did before.

What’s normal? Making errors in the checkbook on occasion or moving more slowly due to arthritis, illness, or fatigue.

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or during leisure activities.

A person in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may begin to develop difficulty with tasks such as

driving, completing their work, or remembering how a game is played. They may appear

confused and then quickly cover up with humor or a self-deprecating remark.

What’s normal? Needing help learning a new gadget or the rules to an unfamiliar game.

4. Confusion with time or place.

People with Alzheimer’s often begin to lose track of time and cannot remember dates or do not notice the changing seasons or the passage of time. They may also forget where they are going or how they got somewhere.

What’s normal? Many people who are retired don’t pay attention to the date but know the month and year. They may not remember the exact date but can guess within a day or two.

5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.

Some people may find difficulty with vision to be an early sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have trouble maneuvering the car into the garage or gauging distance when driving or parking. People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may also find they are having difficulty reading and may not recognize themselves in a mirror.

What’s normal? Older adults sometimes have vision problems related to cataracts or other medical conditions, but they do not forget what they look like or appear surprised when they look in a mirror.

6. New problems with words in speaking or writing.

It is not uncommon for a person in the early stages of Alzheimer’s to withdraw socially because they are having difficulty following a conversation. They may forget what they are saying mid-sentence or may feel self-conscious if they tend to repeat themselves. Word finding or word substitution is also common (“that thingy you put in your mouth” for toothbrush, for instance).

What’s normal? Some word-finding difficulty is common among older adults.

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.

Sometimes people with Alzheimer’s “lose” things because they put them in an unfamiliar place. For instance, someone might put their wristwatch in the freezer or their keys in the sugar bowl. It is not uncommon for people with Alzheimer’s to think others are stealing their things because they have so much difficulty finding objects.

What’s normal? We all misplace things occasionally or become absent-minded when we have too much going on.

8. Changes in judgment.

People with Alzheimer’s may begin to have difficulty with judgment or decision-making. They may not be able to resist the impulse to give money to telemarketers and may believe they are going to “win” a large prize if they do. People sometimes begin to neglect their hygiene as well.

What’s normal? We all make bad decisions once in awhile, but for the most part we are able to take care of ourselves and hang up on the telemarketers.

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.

It is not uncommon for people with Alzheimer’s to begin to withdraw from interactions at work or social events for several reasons. They may have difficulty following a conversation or may be trying to cover up difficulty performing familiar tasks. Many people in the early stages know something is amiss and are trying to keep this information hidden from other people.

What’s normal? We all go through periods when we are less interactive and need time to ourselves.

10. Changes in mood or personality.

One of the early signs of Alzheimer’s is a change in a person’s mood or personality, They may become paranoid, confused, fearful, depressed, or anxious. They may become easily distressed in unfamiliar environments.

What’s normal? Being unhappy when a familiar routine is disrupted.

If you notice any of these signs in yourself or someone you love, consult your physician and

request a full medical workup along with a neuropsychological evaluation. A good

neuropsychologist can determine whether or not your pattern of test scores is

consistent with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or other dementia.

Wonder What the Brain Looks Like?

If you've been wondering what the brain looks like or where the parts of the brain are and what they do, you might enjoy this new app from the Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation.  The FINR Brain Atlas allows you to explore the anatomy of the brain and common brain injuries in 3-D. Very cool! I downloaded it onto my iPad and my iPhone and use it to help my patients understand where there injuries are and how this might affect their functioning. And it's only $1.99.

If you're interested in seeing what part of the brain is involved in Alzheimer's or other types of dementia, this brain atlas can quickly show you.  Patients with TBI or strokes also benefit from seeing the location of damage and the atlas helps them to understand how the injury affects other parts of the brain.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I do not have any affiliation with FINR and do not receive any kickback or other benefit from recommending this app. I just really really like it.)

The Huge Cost of Caregiving

From NPR:

AARP Finds Toll On Family Caregivers Is 'Huge'

by JENNIFER LUDDEN

Listen to the Story

Morning Edition

[4 min 15 sec]

• Add to Playlist
• Download
• Transcript

 

EnlargeiStockphoto.com

text size A A A

July 18, 2011

A new study by the AARP estimates that for the more than 40 million Americans caring for an elderly or disabled loved one, the value of their work is $450 billion a year.

That's a good deal for society. But for the family members doing the work, the study finds they need a lot more help.

To read more: http://tinyurl.com/6eqfffe

Do You Have a MediGap Policy? Read this

FAQ: Seniors May See Changes in Medigap Policies

By Julie Appleby

KHN Staff Writer

JUL 15, 2011

As debt limit talks drag on, lawmakers are eying possible changes in Medicare supplemental plans - moves that could increase seniors’ out-of-pocket costs.

Photo by toastbrot81 via Flickr

Traditional Medicare, the federal health program for the elderly and disabled, requires beneficiaries to pay hospital deductibles and a portion of the cost of tests and doctor visits.  To protect themselves from those out-of-pocket costs, about 17 percent of beneficiaries buy Medigap plans.   Another 34 percent get such coverage through a former employer.

But some health policy experts say such “first-dollar protection” drives up demand for Medicare services, costing the government money for what may be unnecessary care. One proposal would bar supplemental insurance from completely eliminating out-of-pocket costs – or charge enrollees a $530 a year extra if they want to keep such protection. That change could save up to $53 billion over 10 years, according to a chart used during the bipartisan talks led by Vice President Joe Biden.

To read more: http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/July/15/medigap-medicare-supplemental-faq.aspx

Help For Adults With Heat Related Illnesses

This press release is from the National Institute on Health:

NIH tips for older adults to combat heat-related illnesses

Risk of heat-related problems increases with age

Older people can face risks related to hot weather. As people age, their bodies lose some ability to adapt to heat. They may have medical conditions that are worsened by heat. And their medications could reduce their ability to respond to heat.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, has some advice for helping older people avoid heat-related illnesses, known collectively as hyperthermia.

Hyperthermia occurs when the body overheats. Conditions involving hyperthermia have different names, including heat stroke, heat fatigue, heat syncope (lightheadedness or fainting in the heat), heat cramps and heat exhaustion.

Health-related factors that may increase the risk of hyperthermia include:

• Pre-existing diseases such as congestive heart failure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Decreased ability to move around
• Dementia or cognitive impairment
• Certain medications that may cause dehydration or that may affect the responses to heat by the heart, blood vessels or sweat glands.
• Being substantially overweight
• Drinking alcoholic beverages
• Being dehydrated
• Age-related changes in the skin, such as decreased functioning of small blood vessels and sweat glands

To read more: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jul2011/nia-18.htm

Why Chocolate Is The Perfect Food: Tryptophan

Chocolate contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid and mood enhancer that cannot be synthesized in the body; it must be part of the diet. Tryptophan is a biochemical precursor to several compounds, including serotonin. An imbalance in serotonin is thought to be one cause of depression.

There are many sources of tryptophan, but chocolate is by far one of the most pleasurable to consume! Other sources include: oats, dried dates, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, red meat, eggs, fish, poultry, sesame, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, and peanuts.

Some people use tryptophan from dietary supplements to enhance sleep, but there is considerable disagreement in the research on this.  Tryptophan in turkey is said to be the cause of drowsiness following a large Thanksgiving meal, but the levels of tryptophan in turkey are actually similar to those found in other types of meat.

Tryptophan also helps prevent a niacin deficiency (Vitamin B3).  Niacin helps to control cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar, and help the body to process fat.

Don't Have a Will? You're Not Alone

According to an article in the April 2011 issue of Money magazine, most Americans do not have a will.  Are you one of them?  If so, you can either hire an attorney or do it yourself with Quicken’s WillMaker Plus ($42 at nolo.com).  Using this bestselling software, you can write your own will, create a power of attorney for finances, a healthcare directive, and executor documents.

There are pros and cons to writing a will on your own vs hiring an attorney. A lawyer knows the ins and outs of estate planning and can ask questions that you might not think of, giving you a more thorough document than you might write on your own.

Money magazine says this software is best for a person with a small estate or someone whose spouse may be their sole heir.  You won’t want to attempt to write your own will if your estate is complicated or worth more than $5 million.  You’ll also want to go with a lawyer if you think any of your heirs may contest your will later.

Can Your Diet Really Lower Your Risk of Dementia?

From the Mayo Clinic:

Diet May Lower Risk of Cognitive Impairment, 

Mayo Clinic Researchers Find

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers found that the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment decreased with an increase in the consumption of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Monounsaturated fatty acids are commonly found in olive oil and canola oils, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as Omega 3 or Omega 6 fatty acids, are commonly found in most varieties of nuts, seeds and fish. This study was published in the September issue of Journal of Alzheimer's Disease...

Read more:  http://tinyurl.com/4eu6bmp

Offering More Than Just Safety to the Elderly

This is from a 2007 opinion piece by Atul Gawande MD in the New York Times:

Rethinking Old Age           

By ATUL GAWANDE

At some point in life, you can’t live on your own anymore. We don’t like thinking about it, but after retirement age, about half of us eventually move into a nursing home, usually around age 80. It remains your most likely final address outside of a hospital.

To the extent that there is much public discussion about this phase of life, it’s about getting more control over our deaths (with living wills and the like). But we don’t much talk about getting more control over our lives in such places. It’s as if we’ve given up on the idea. And that’s a problem.

This week, I visited a woman who just moved into a nursing home. She is 89 years old with congestive heart failure, disabling arthritis, and after a series of falls, little choice but to leave her condominium. Usually, it’s the children who push for a change, but in this case, she was the one who did. “I fell twice in one week, and I told my daughter I don’t belong at home anymore,” she said.

She moved in a month ago. She picked the facility herself. It has excellent ratings, friendly staff, and her daughter lives nearby. She’s glad to be in a safe place — if there’s anything a decent nursing home is built for, it is safety. But she is struggling

.

The trouble is — and it’s a possibility we’ve mostly ignored for the very old — she expects more from life than safety...

To read more:  http://tinyurl.com/4lak8vz

What do you expect in your older years?  What can you do today to ensure the best chance of having more than just safety?  This kind of thinking should drive all of our decisions each and every day so we make changes while we still can.  This is part of living with the end in mind.  It's a difficult practice.

What is an Aggregate Nutrient Density Index?

I saw this on the side of a shopping bag from Whole Foods today:

An ANDI score "is a number from 1 to 1000 that lets you know how nutritious your food is. The highest scoring food has the most nutrients per calorie. Fill your diet with healthy, beneficial foods by choosing high ANDI score items."

Here is their Top 10 list:

1. Collard greens: 1000
2. Kale: 1000
3. Watercress: 1000
4. Bok choy: 824
5. Spinach: 739
6. Broccoli rabe: 715
7. Chinese/Napa cabbage: 704
8. Brussel sprouts: 672
9. Swiss chard: 670
10. Arugula: 559

In The Spectrum, Dr. Dean Ornish writes about the benefits of kale: "Kale contains lutein, an antioxidant that protects against macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. Kale is also rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E, as well as folate (which helps prevent heart disease and birth defects) and calcium and magnesium, two minerals important for strong bones. Kale also contains some omega-3 fatty acids."

Tomorrow I'll post my favorite recipe for Kale Salad.  It's easy to make and high on the ANDI list!

Eavesdropping: Robert Firestone on The Fear of Intimacy

"Many individuals experience feelings of longing and desperation they mistake for love. They fail to make a distinction between emotional hunger, which is a strong need caused by emotional deprivation in childhood, and feelings of genuine love and concern...

Close contact with an emotionally hungry person has the opposite effect of nurturance: the more time spent with this person, the more debilitating the effect."

Dr. Robert Firestone in The Fear of Intimacy

The Real Work of Living & Dying

This essay by Richard John Neuhaus was originally published in the February 2000 issue of First Things.

We are born to die. Not that death is the purpose of our being born, but we are born toward death, and in each of our lives the work of dying is already underway. The work of dying well is, in largest part, the work of living well. Most of us are at ease in discussing what makes for a good life, but we typically become tongue-tied and nervous when the discussion turns to a good death.

Eavesdropping on Eric Kandel & Charlie Rose: Psychotherapy as a Biological Interaction

Eric Kandel:  "One tended to think of psychotherapy and drugs as working in very different ways. One is talk therapy and the other is biological. And now it's clear, from Helen's (Dr. Helen Mayberg) studies and other people's studies, that psychotherapy works on the brain. It is a biological treatment."

Charlie Rose: "So the psychotherapy produces a biological change in the brain..."

EK: "Lie a biological treatment. When you and I have a conversation, it changes our brains. It's a biological interaction.... In addition, the value of psychotherapy, I"m going to say something that's a little bit provocative -- it's the therapy but it's also fundamentally the consistent, the supportive, and the healthy relationship the individual giving the psychotherapy provides..."

Eric Kandel & Charlie Rose: The Brain Series

Eavesdropping: Dr. Helen Mayberg on Self-Connectedness & Depression

"You can actually study intense personal sadness and map it... you can actually do that same thing in people who are depressed. And actually look at the differences between being depressed and being situationally depressed and being sad. There are areas of the brain that are different.

And what just struck me -- it kind of was a lightbulb moment for me now -- from some of our data, that the part that differs is in an area of the frontal cortex that is responsible for the self-connectedness.

And in depressed people, when they are currently depressed, and they get sad, that area of the brain doesn't come on as it does in healthy people who are experiencing a past episode recollecting a sad event..."

Dr. Helen Mayberg on Charlie Rose: The Brain Series




Self-connectedness and depression.  It makes so much sense. And the fact that there is a location in the brain that lights up when we feel connected to ourselves is fascinating!  So the question that occurs to me when I see a depressed patient is: what, exactly, is being depressed in this person?  If it is in fact a connection to the self -- to the very core of one's being -- then the key to resolving a depression is finding your way back to a feeling of connection to your innermost sense of yourself.

Easier said than done, I suppose.

What is the Mind, Exactly?

"The mind is a series of functions carried out by the brain."

Eric Kandel, Nobel Laureate on Charlie Rose: The Brain Series

Did You Know? Fun Facts About the Brain

"My brain: it's my second favorite organ."

Woody Allen in Sleeper (1973)

The brain may be Allen's second favorite organ, but it is by far one of the most interesting aspects of the human body.  Here are some fun facts about the brain that you may not have known:

1. The brain is made up of 77-78% water, 10-12% fat, 8% protein, 1% carbs, 2% soluble organics, and 1% inorganic salt.
2. The average adult brain weights about 3 pounds.
3. Brains can stay alive about 4-5 minutes without oxygen.
4. Your brain is about 2% of your body's total weight but uses 20% of your body's energy.
5. The energy used by a brain is enough to light a 25 watt bulb.
6. Results from cognitive testing show 30% of 80-year-olds perform as well as young adults.
7. The left hemisphere of the brain (the side that processes language) has 186 million more neurons than the right side (the side that processes emotions).
8. It takes 10 seconds to lose consciousness if the supply of blood to the brain is stopped.
9. 750-1000 ml of blood flow through the brain every minute. That is equal to about 3 full soda cans.
10. There are about 100 billion neurons in the human brain, about the same as the number of stars in our galaxy.

What are you doing to take care of this magnificent organ today?

What's Your Snore Score?

The American Sleep Apnea Association publishes a quick quiz to check your snore.  Take it here or follow this link to their website:  http://www.sleepapnea.org/resources/pubs/snorescore.html

1.  Are you a loud and/or regular snorer?

2.  Have you ever been observed to gasp or stop breathing during sleep?

3.  Do you feel tired or groggy upon awakening, or do you awaken with a headache?

4.  Are you often tired or fatigued during the wake time hours?

5.  Do you fall asleep sitting, reading, watching TV or driving?

6.  Do you often have problems with memory or concentration?

According to their website, "If you have one or more of these symptoms you are at higher risk for having obstructive sleep apnea.  If you are also overweight, have a large neck, and/or have high blood pressure, the risk increases even further."

You should discuss your symptoms with your primary care physician and request a sleep study to determine whether or not you have sleep apnea.  This could be the most dangerous condition you don't know you have!

The Dangers of Untreated Sleep Apnea

State Representative Robert Donatucci died in his sleep on November 9, 2010, of sleep apnea. Although there were suspicions that Mr. Donatucci had sleep apnea, when he went for a sleep study, he didn’t like the CPAP mask he had to wear so he did not complete the test. Sadly, this decision may have cost him his life.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a common breathing disorder that occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax, causing your airway to narrow or close. When your airway closes, breathing is stopped momentarily. A person with sleep apnea may make a gasping or choking sound as they begin to breathe again. These apneas can occur up to 30 times or more every hour. When your breathing becomes shallow or obstructed, you often move from a deep sleep to a lighter sleep state. This interferes with a good night’s sleep, resulting in excessive sleepiness during the day.

Symptoms of sleep apnea include: daytime sleepiness; excessive loud snoring; a dry mouth or sore throat upon awakening; a morning headache; problems with memory, attention and/or concentration; irritability, depression, or mood swings; or insomnia.

According to Inland Empire Sleep Solutions, “Obstructive sleep apnea affects more than 20 million Americans and can lead to hypertension, heart attack, stroke, depression, muscle pain, fibromyalgia, morning headaches, and excessive daytime sleepiness.” Research suggests that adults with untreated sleep apnea are almost 50% more likely to die prematurely than those who sleep normally.

Interesting Facts About Alzheimer's Dementia

From the Alzheimer's Foundation of America (www.alzfdn.org):

Alzheimer's disease is a slow progressive brain disorder that results in the loss of memory and other cognitive functions.  This disease eventually leads to death.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia.

It is estimated that 2.4 million to 4.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease and the incidence is rising as our population ages.

The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease doubles every five years between ages 65 and 95.

A rarer form of the disease, known as early onset Alzheimer's, can affect people as young as in their 30's.

Alzheimer's is the 7th leading cause of death in the US.

Do you know the early warning signs of Alzheimers?