What’s the hardest thing about living with mild cognitive impairment? For many people with MCI, it’s memory loss.
Are you struggling with memory? Does it drive you crazy, and make your life miserable and frustrating?
Maybe you walk into a room and you can’t remember why you went there. Or you try to remember someone’s name and just draw a blank. Or you’re forever searching for your keys or your purse or your reading glasses.
Some of the ways you used to remember things aren’t working anymore. But that doesn’t mean your ability to remember is gone. You can learn new ways to remember.
It’s called memory compensation. It’s a set of skills you can practice and master, and as you do, you may be surprised how much better you can start remembering things again.
In this three-part series of training videos, I show you simple but effective techniques to compensate for some of the most common memory problems faced by people with MCI:
- Losing or misplacing things.
- Not being able to remember names.
- Forgetting something you need to do in the future.
These tips and tricks are part of a memory system developed at Baycrest in Toronto, where they run an amazing, world-class program that’s helped thousands of people with MCI over the years.
Memory problem No. 1 — Losing or misplacing objects
In this first video, I show you how to end the frustration that comes with not being able to remember where you put your keys or your wallet or phone. Watch the video and learn the Baycrest way to stop losing or misplacing things so you’re not continually having to hunt for them.
Did you find that helpful? Ready for more? Let’s continue on to a couple more of the most common memory problems faced by people with MCI.
Memory problem No. 2 — Not being able to remember names
If you have mild cognitive impairment, you know how frustrating memory loss can be. So imagine how hard it must have been for HM. He’s the most famous case of total amnesia ever studied by science. He couldn’t remember anything — until he tried a new memory technique and got amazing results.
HM found that he could retain some short-term memory if he took a new memory or piece of information and tied it to an older, hardened memory. If it worked for HM, it can work for you. In this second video, I show how you can use that same technique to remember names.
Memory problem No. 3 — Not being able to remember something you intend to do in the future
You walk into a room, and for the life of you, you can’t remember what you went there for. It’s a common frustration for people with MCI. But there’s a solution. It’s a technique called: Stop. See it. Say it. Don’t be fooled by how simplistic this method sounds. It’s remarkably effective.
I hope you’ve found this training series beneficial. I encourage you to try the techniques you’ve learned here, and if something works for you, share it. Let me know by leaving a comment below, or sending me an email at tonydearing@gocogno.com.
Rosamary Christiansen says
June 2, 2019 at 11:00 AMI have this problem in spades! Reading glasses and coffeecup are the most elusive. I do have a sort of ‘toothbrush’ plan in place now which helps tremendously! Am looking forward to the upcoming videos.
Thank you, Tony
tony dearing says
June 2, 2019 at 11:08 AMThanks, Rosemary, and glad you found this helpful. You’re keyed in on the right thing. It’s about finding one or two items that really plague you and focusing on those. Once you lock in on that one and only place for your reading glasses and coffee cup, then it’s just a matter of practicing putting them there until it becomes a habit. I look forward to getting the second and third videos to you over the next couple of weeks.
Pam says
June 10, 2019 at 11:22 AMThe word “intentional” is what stands out to me. Although I can certainly be better about putting things in certain, sensical places, being aware of the practice is the most important. For example, when I leave a client’s house, right away I put their house key in the dedicated place in my purse. For me, I know I’m doing it because I stop and do it right after I lock the door. I literally stand there and place the key in my purse with great attention. The times I forget to pay attention, I still put the key in the right place (most of the time!) because I’ve trained myself to do it. Intention is awareness to me.
Another thing I do at a client’s house is to say aloud, “I’m locking the sliding glass door.” That way I not only remember to lock it but later when I’m driving away, I know that I’ve done it. Without the intention and additional verbal confirmation, I may panic later when I think of the sliding glass door. Many times have I gone back to their home to see if I locked it. I just wasn’t paying attention!
tony dearing says
June 10, 2019 at 12:34 PMThanks for offering those, Pam. They are great, real-world tips.
Roger L. says
December 1, 2019 at 2:54 PMNot only putting stuff in the same place all the time but having the same routine after waking up helps. Taking med’s, making cup of coffee, fixing breakfast, checking e-mail, making “to do” list every morning same routine helps me alot.
PS. forgot about shower
tony dearing says
December 2, 2019 at 4:15 PMThat’s a great observation, Roger. Thanks for sharing it for the benefit of others.
Mary Lee says
December 5, 2019 at 5:49 AMThanks Tony. I continue to appreciate your accenting the positive in trying to manage what could be a devastating time in our lives as we age. Yes focusing and association are very practical and everyday ways of keeping our cognition challenged and healthy. Most of the time it works for me however if I have not been in touch with high school friends for a long time I really fall short when one of them crosses my path unexpectedly. Ha. I remember reading a funny story about Bishop Fulton Sheen and he was far from old when this happened —he had met a man named Lummick which he had associated with stomach The next time he met this man he called him Mr Kelly thinking of belly. Nice try Fulton. Even Bishops and at young ages goof What mysteries our brains are. The unknown is exciting for me since my hope lies in “The Best is Yet to Be”
tony dearing says
December 6, 2019 at 6:32 PMThat’s amusing story, Mary Lee, and thanks for sharing it. There’s techniques aren’t foolproof, and that’s a light-hearted example of that.