THE MEMORY CHECKLIST

•  Does he/she often repeat themselves or ask the same questions over and over?

•  Is he/she more forgetful, that is, having trouble with short-term memory?

•  Does he/she need reminders to do things like chores, shopping, or taking medicine?

•  Does he/she forget appointments, family occasions or holidays?

•  Does he/she seem sad, down in the dumps, or cry more often than in the past?

•  Has he/she started having trouble doing calculations, managing finances, or balancing the checkbook?

•  Has he/she lost interest in his/her activities such as hobbies, reading, attending church, or other social activities?

•  Has he/she started needing help eating, dressing, bathing, or using the bathroom?

•  Has he/she become irritable, agitated, suspicious, or started seeing, hearing, or believing things that are not real?

• Are there concerns about his/her driving, for example, getting lost or driving unsafely, or have they stopped driving?

• Does he/she have trouble finding the words he/she wants to say, finishing sentences, or naming things

If you answered yes to 5 or more of these questions, there could be a problem. Consult a physician.

 

Adapted from Mundt JC, Freed DM, Griest JH. Lay person-based screening for early detection, development and validation of an instrument. J Gerontol Psychol Sci Sco. 2000, 55B: 163-170