Preserving and improving memory as we age

Proven approaches include healthful habits and some do-it-yourself strategies.

If you're over 50, you've probably noticed some changes in your ability to remember things. Maybe you've gone into the kitchen and can't remember why, or can't recall a familiar name during a conversation. You may even miss an appointment because it slipped your mind. Memory lapses can occur at any age, but we tend to get more upset by them as we get older because we fear they're a sign of dementia, or loss of intellectual function. Mostly, we fear Alzheimer's disease. The fact is, when significant memory loss occurs among older people, it is not due to aging but to organic disorders, brain injury, or neurological illness.