This sort of complaint is very common. Many people find that, as they get older, their: memory seems to become less and less reliable. Perhaps, like the 4 person speaking above, they meet someone whose face is familiar yet: they are quite unable to remember their name.

things They may find it difficult to remember appointments, tasks that need to be done, what to buy when out shopping, or where they have put their keys or their spectacles.

When slips of memory occur frequently, it isn't surprising that people become worried. They may come to believe that they are going senile or beginning to develop Alzheimer's disease. While it is true that a deterioration in memory can sometimes be an indication of something serious, there is often a much simpler explanation if you (or someone close to you) are having trouble remembering things, we hope that the first three chapters in this booklet will help you understand what is going on, put the problem in a proper perspective, and make it easier for you to cope.

memory works. Imagine that one morning a friend introduces you to a woman called Muriel Pritchett.

Later that day you bump into her again. "Hello. Muriel", you say. "We met this morning." It is obvious that you have remembered her name. But how?

Despite a great deal of scientific researchs there is still much to be learnt about the way memory, works, but we already understand quite a let. One usehul way to think process is to divide them process into three stages.

The first stage of memory requires that you register the new information. When you were introduced to Muriel, you took note of her name and her face. Your brain absorbs this information and then transfers it to the part where memones are stored.

Dunng the second stage your brain files away new information. You stored Muriel's name and appearance from the time of your first meeting until you encountered her again

Recall

you met Muriel for the second time, and you were able to greet her by her name.

All three stages must take place for your memory to work. If any of them had failed, you would have been unable to recall Muriel's name at your second meeting.

In many ways, the process is like putting a letter away in a filing cabinet so that you can refer to ir in the future.

Psychologists believe that there are several different kinds of memory, each of which is used for storing: different kinds of information The part of our memory that we use for storing facts, such as people's names, is separate from the part that we use to store knowledge of how to do things. This explains why some people who have difficulty in remembering names have no problems remembering how to use a tin-opener or operate a television set.

All memories tend to fade as time passes. Facts used every day stick in the memory while items of information that are seldom needed are harder to recall, For example, j most people can remember their own telephone number but if they need to ring the doctor, they have to look up the number in the phone book.

Recalling a fact or an event keeps that particular memory fresh and makes it easier to remember on future occasions. Conversely, facts that are never used are gradually forgotten. How many dates can you still remember from

your history lessons at school?

Your brain needs to throw away information to avoid overload

THINGS THAT INTERFERE WITH MEMORY

The efficiency and accuracy of our memory depend on the circumstances in which we are using it. As

we explained earlier, to store a piece of information in the memory, we first have to pay sufficient attention to it to register and absorb it. All sorts of things can interfere with this crucial first stage of memory.

If we are confronted with too much information at one time, we may find it impossible to recall much of it later. At a social occasion, we meet lots of new people. but afterwards it is often difficult to remember their names or much else about them. This is because there was so much information that our capacity to register and store it was overloaded.

People who are very busy may find themselves forgetting things simply because they have so much on their minds. If a person's life follows a well-ordered routine, fewer demands are made on their memory than if their life is varied and stressful

For rather similar reasons, people who are anxious or depressed often find that their memory functions poorly. They are preoccupied by inner feelings and are too distracted by them to pay enough attention to new information to register it properly.

Older people whose hearing or vision is poor may have problems remembering things because their disabilities make it more difficult for them to register and absorb information.

Physical illness, particularly in older people, can also have a damaging effect on mental function. People who suffer from a chronic condition such as heart disease or diabetes, may find that their thinking and their memory are not what they were. The reasons for this are not yet well understood, but the stresses of having to cope with illness, especially if the condition is painful, are bound to take their toll.

Every part of the body changes as we get older. Some of these changes begin quite early in life -for instance, few athletes and sportsmen continue to break records ahter the age of 30 or so.

Different parts of the body age faster than others, and individuals differ in which parts show the effects of age first. For instance, some people develop osteoarthritis and need a hip replaced, while others become increasingly deaf and have to wear a hearing aid.

HOW MEMORY CHANGES WITH WITH AGE