As you get older, it’s natural to experience a change in cognitive function. For some, these are only mild changes that result in occasional forgetfulness or repetition of stories. But for others, it can be a more significant change and result in lapses that need intervention and medical assistance to understand what is going on. If you’re concerned about your memory or that of a loved one, here are a few signs it might be time to get a cognitive test:

Forgetting Recently Learned Information:

Forgetting a conversation, appointment or a piece of information shortly after it happened and not recalling it later, even with a reminder, is entirely different from simply misplacing keys or blanking on a name temporarily. This type of memory loss tends to disrupt daily life, showing up as repeated questions about something already discussed or confusion over plans already confirmed. 

It might be that you need to rely on notes from others to help you fill in the gaps rather than managing independently. You can get a cognitive test, which gives you an insight into what is going on so you can catch anything untoward early and move forward with the right treatment or plan in place.

Losing Track of Familiar Tasks:

If you’re struggling to complete tasks or a loved one is having issues with them, especially for things they’ve done countless times before, like following a family recipe or paying a bill, this is a red flag that shouldn’t be ignored. It might show up as skipped steps, confusion partway through or needing more guidance than the task previously required.

Pay attention to things like having issues with problem-solving or with planning too, as this can expose more of a pattern than looking at different factors in isolation. Occasional distraction is normal for anyone, but this showing up more frequently should be looked into sooner rather than later.

Getting Lost in Familiar Places:

Everyone gets momentarily distracted from time to time, even in places they’re extremely familiar with. However, the concern here is that the familiar routes and locations suddenly come with changes in habits like taking a wrong turn or getting confused in familiar buildings. This can point to a disruption in spatial memory, not just an ordinary distraction. Note down anything that happens to track patterns of it happening more than once to give to a doctor to reinforce concerns you need to raise.

Repeating the Same Questions or Stories:

Asking the same questions multiple times within a short period or retelling the same story without realizing it has already been shared happens due to them not having been formed properly in the first place. This differs from simply enjoying a good story or forgetting who has already heard it, since the repetition tends to happen close together and without any awareness that it has been told before. Typically, family members will notice this before the person themselves does, which makes outsider observation more important in getting help and treatment for anything that is going on.

Pay close attention to yourself and loved ones if you notice any of these symptoms because a trip to the doctor is definitely in order!

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