Having 'senior moments' ain't all bad

From what I read in a 9/30/2008 article written by Carrie Hill, a freelance writer, who writes blogs on ABCs Eldercare, it’s a nonmedical term for mental glitches, a temporary loss of memory often referred to in a jocular vein.

A few examples of which: Archie, 88, has a problem with his house. When he uses the stairs, he stops midway to catch his breath. And when ready to start again, he’s unable to remember if was going upstairs or downstairs…My grandfather, who is 87, has been converted to nudism. He sits all day in the greenhouse without a stitch on except for his hat. And when asked why the hat when he’s a nudist, he hollers out in anger, “because I’m bald”…In his later years, a former bishop in the UK found himself having difficulty in rising from a park bench he routinely sat on during his daily meditations. After struggling in vain, a little girl passing by offered a helping hand. But are you really strong enough? Oh yes, she replied, ‘for I’ve often helped my daddy get on his feet when he was much drunker than you.’ 

Now, while senior moments can be scary and embarrassing for those having them (including me), most of the time they’re just a result of the brain’s normal aging process.

But by the same token, they can be early signs of the dreaded Alzheimer’s disease. And if you think they’re going beyond the realm of minor annoyances and occasional slips, you should see a doctor so your symptoms can be evaluated.  

And, unless they’re interfering with your ability to manage day-to-day activities, a few lifestyle changes can help turn  them into just periodic annoyances; such as: Do one thing at a time…Notice how things look, smell, taste and feel , as well as what’s happening, in order to remember something in multiple ways…Replay memories in your mind to reinforce them…Reduce mental clutter by using calendars, lists and gadgets like personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Personally, I don’t keep track of when and how frequently they happen. And in living alone, there’s no one I can ask if they’ve noticed they’re becoming more apparent. Nor could I count on my dog Beau and cat Precious to wave the warning flag. For as long as they’re fed on time and spoken to (and scolded) by name, they’d be the last ones to notice those awkward interludes in my behavior.

And I dismissed out-of-hand taking any pills to deal with the problem, like the highly touted Ginkgo Biloba, which claims to increase blood flow to the brain, even jump-starting brain cell connectivity.

Although recently debunked, many of its users are hooked on it and swear to its efficacy, with one believer offering written testimony as to how he hasn’t forgotten his wife’s name since “taking that stuff.” But adding, that he’d always remembered clearly before then the “name of that sweet girl in the fourth grade with whom he shared a first kiss.”

Now, I freely admit that I often use my having a senior moment as a defense mechanism for avoiding having to explain some stupid blunder I made-verbally or in my blogs-and for tuning-out the all-too common twisted logic and non sequiturs pouring out of the mouths of the county commissioners, ad nausum, at public meetings.

In terms of cause and effect, I’ve come to the tentative, purely subjective conclusion, that the failure to dump the wretched, excessive old memories from our brain is every bit as responsible for those mental lapses as the aging process. (Fact is, you can never dump enough.)

That the better senior-moment strategy to adopt, is to just chuckle and admit, “Ah, another welcomed respite from today’s fast-paced, madcap world."

And if the person you’re talking to when one strikes is in the same age bracket, they’ll know exactly what you’re experiencing and even admire your honesty and insouciance.

I’d best quit now, for I sense a senior moment coming on, with only my loving, four-legged creatures to share it with

Quote of the week: “Growing old isn’t for sissies.”  Bette Davis, legendary film star