By Renée Baldi
Dorothy is 76 and feels like she is really having problems with her memory. She says she can never find her glasses, she has trouble remembering names of the new people at her senior center, and overall she feels more forgetful. Dorothy is afraid she may have Alzheimer’s disease.
Does this sound familiar? Do these symptoms mean that Dorothy has some type of memory disorder such as Alzheimer’s disease? Fortunately, the answer is no, it is not likely!
 Many older adults do have complaints about their memory. Surprisingly, many of these complaints are unfounded. Research has shown that many older adults with memory concerns can recall as much information as those without concerns. Often, simply because a person is “older,” they begin to consider the possibility of losing their memory. We have always heard that as we get older our memory will falter. Because of this unfounded perception, losing our glasses at 65 seems much more serious than losing them at 25.
It is true that it becomes more difficult to form new memories as we age, however, memory loss is NOT inevitable. Instead, forgetfulness is usually due to things other than age such as a busy schedule, a lack of attention or effort, or stress. Often, we forget because we don’t use the right strategies to remember things. Dorothy quit worrying about Alzheimer’s disease when she realized she had a lot of stress in her life. She was busy getting ready for the holiday talent show in her town. Plus, she was still doing her normal activities with the seniors group, taking care of her grandchildren, and volunteering at the hospital.
Dorothy took another step that helped her feel more in control of her memory; she enrolled in a workshop for memory improvement. The Memory Clinic at DePaul provides such training. The clinic is run by experts in the field of memory. Seminars and workshops cover topics such as how memory works, how it changes with age, and strategies and lifestyle changes for improving memory. The material is based on current research that has been shown to help older adults improve and maintain their memory.
Renée Baldi, a memory expert from the Memory Clinic, will be a featured speaker at the Successful Aging Conference. Seating is limited. Call 889-5976 today for more information or for registration.
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| The 1.5 million Americans who suffer from urinary incontinence have new hope. This, according to the findings of recent research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The research found that consistent, focused exercise of the pelvic muscles is significantly more successful in many cases than drug therapy using oxybutynin chloride.
Urinary incontinence is one of the most common reasons people are placed in nursing homes. It also contributes to isolation and depression. People still suffer in silence thinking that incontinence is a natural part of aging. Incontinence, however, is no longer ‘just a fact of life.’
In most cases incontinence can be reversed. In fact, Bon Secours has a new program with an outstanding success rate. On the average, 90% of participants regain full continence, or significantly reduce their difficulty, making it fully manageable.
What is really embarrassing is how simple it is to overcome incontinence. First, while treatment plans are developed for each individual, a typical participant is seen just one or two times each week for only two to four weeks. A specially trained physical therapist develops and coordinates your care plan and the treatment is not painful. So what are you waiting for? Stop planning around your incontinence and regain control of your life.
Kathy Stover, a physical therapist specializing in the treatment of urinary incontinence, will speak at the Aging Successfully Conference. To register for the conference, or for more information on the Bon Secours Incontinence Clinic, call 889-5976.
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