Studies have highlighted the effects of age on memory amongst the elderly. In fact, study results indicate that one of the major concerns about aging is the possible loss of memory. Young people seem to hold on things as their brains develop. However, as they age, the youths tend to become forgetful. The condition occurs due to the impairment of sporadic memory carrying the info including when and where an individual acquired the data.
Sections of the brainpower, which are significant in memorizing, thus, appear to be susceptible to the old age. An area of the brain known as hippocampus loses about 5 percent of its nerve cells after twenty years (Myers & DeWall, 2014). Furthermore, the mind tends to contract and develop to be less effective as people grow old. Researchers have come up with assumptions of such deteriorations. However, most of the researchers believe that aging leads to a significant drop in the production of acetylcholine, which is an essential neurotransmitter required for learning and memory upkeep.
From personal experience, it is true that as people grow old, changes in the brain make it hard for them to remember activities undertaken. Dropping shutters, forgetting people’s designations or mislaying door openers are some of the usual occurrences that happen when an individual is aged. Such factors are attributed to memory damage. Aging individuals may also have difficulty in processing information or learning new things (Cansino, Salgado-Lujambio & Sosa-Ortiz, 2015). In fact, they may find it hard to accomplish more than one task at any given time. For example, an aging person may not watch television and fry eggs at the same time. It is difficult for such a person to shift focus from television to cooking.
The level at which aging affects memory loss may be influenced by different factors. For instance, the occurrence of memory loss may be attributed to the emotional state of a person, the stress levels, biases, previous memories, and personal perception. The effects of normal aging on memory result from changes taking place in the brain. Thus, to understand how aging affects memory we should be able to understand how memories are stored in our brains. Research has shown that older individuals use less efficient encoding and retrieval as they age (Angel, Fay & Isingrini, 2011). Such people hardly connect with self-initiated programs due to their reduced concentration capacity.
As people grow old, their capacities to create new memories are affected. Thus, it becomes difficult to learn new things. Besides, older people require more time to learn something new and retrieve the said information. Aging affects memory performance, and older people seem not to have confidence in themselves. The sequential performance tends to diminish given that older people find it difficult to execute a series of steps required to perform routine tasks (Angel, Fay & Isingrini, 2011). From personal experience, it is apparent that an aging person may find it difficult to remember the steps required to make coffee.
Losing memory at old age may be triggered by an event or situation in a person’s life. Stress, anxiety, and depression taking place at the old age may contribute to memory loss and make people be forgetful or confused. It is, therefore, imperative to take caution when dealing with elderly people having such conditions (Myers & DeWall, 2014).
In conclusion, aging is an inevitable phenomenon and actions should be taken to prevent or minimize memory loss when aging. It is advisable that one should stay mentally active, socialize frequently, get organized, and do physical exercises (Angel, Fay & Isingrini, 2011). A healthy diet is encouraged to ensure that the risks related to memory loss are minimized.
References
Angel, L., Fay, S. & Isingrini, M. (2011). Two hemispheres for better memory in old age: Role of executive functioning. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 23(12), 3767-3777.
Cansino, S., Salgado-Lujambio, P., & Sosa-Ortiz, A. (2015). FMRI subsequent source memory effects in young, middle-aged and old adults. Behavioural Brain Research, 280(3), 24-35.
Myers, D., & DeWall, C. (2014). Psychology in everyday life. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.