Has this ever happened to you... you bump into someone at the grocery store who looks very familiar and they greet you by name but you can't seem to remember their nmae and so you play along with the conversation hoping that their name iwll come back to you? I usually stumble through the awkwardness of the situation and then 5-10 minutes later, it sudenly surfaces. If you are like me, don't worry... short lapses in memory such as these are considered normal. Memory loss which disrupts dialy life such as the inability to retain new information or forgetting important dates such as your birthday or anniversay is not normal and is considered one of the early warning signs of Alzheimers diesease.

In addition to memory loss, other early warning signs of Alzheimers include:

• Challenges in planning or solving problems such as difficulty paying regular bills.
• Difficulty completing failiar tasks such as no longer being able to play a familiar game.
• Confusion with time or place such as not knowing the current month or season.
• Trouble understanding visual images such as not being able to tell time by looking at a clock.
• New problems with speaking or writing such as being unable to name a familiar object.
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace your steps to find them.
• Decreased or poor judgment such as falling for mail or telephone scams.
• Withdrawal from social activities such as no longer attending clubs or church meetings.
• Changes in mood or personality such as new onset of anxiety or confusion.

Although a certain amount of memory function decline is expected as we age, if you notice one or more of the above signs I would encourage you to see your health care provider for an evaluation. The Harvard Men's Health Watch published an article by Dr. Marshall regarding the value currently available vitamin and nutritional supplements at preventing or treating memory decline. The list of supplements reviewed include B vitamins (folic acid, B6, and B12), antioxidants (vitamins C and E, coenzyme Q10), herbal supplements (hyperzine A, ginkgo biloba), and fish oil, curcumin, and coconut oil. None of these items were shown to prevent memory loss or cognitive decline. "There are a lot of things out there for which we have no data on whether they are safe or do anything to help," Dr. Marshall says. While there is no "magic" memory pill, the good news is that there are studies which show that a Mediterranean diet combined with exercise has shown promise in preventing memory loss and cognitive decline.

This year Hospice of the Valleys celebrates over 35 years of providing compassionate care during loss to the patients and families in our community. As we continue to help families through their end of life journey, we want to say thanks for your support.