Memory Tips

Good news! Just because you forgot someone’s name shortly after meeting them or forgot to stop at the store on your way home doesn’t mean your memory is fading.

“In most cases, it’s just that the information wasn’t processed in a way to help the brain remember it,” says Jon E. Bentz, PhD, Neuropsychologist and Director of Behavioral Medicine at Lancaster General.

“Make the information more meaningful and you’re less likely to forget,” Dr. Bentz says. Digging for more details when someone tells you something worth remembering keeps the short-term memory engaged long enough for the knowledge to be categorized in long-term memory.

Using visual imagery also helps our recall. “Try creating a ‘mental movie,’” he says. “Picturing yourself performing those tasks that you wish to accomplish can help in recalling them at a later time.”

Writing notes, keeping a daily journal and calendars are three great ways to remember important little things. “Simple memory aids are still the best,” Dr. Bentz says.

To sign up or for more information on our Memory Disorders Day on March 30, 2006, call 800-341-2121.

 

 

Return to Lancaster General Woman,

Winter 2006 Issue Main Page