People often incorrectly label simple slips of memory as impending dementia, but there are diagnostic things that we need to know.

Where did you put your keys? Whose birthday is coming up? What’s that movie star’s name? All these questions we can easily and quickly answer, except when we can’t, and then it’s what my patient asked, “Doc, do you think I’m getting “old timer’s disease?” Well, I knew he meant Alzheimer's, and, no, I didn’t think he was getting it, and too many people are jumping to conclusions when they have one of these slips of memory.

Do you know I sometimes can’t remember a friend's name when needed? Or that I once sat on a TV set with Bill O’Reilly for his show and I wanted to ask him a question, but I couldn’t remember that his name is “Bill?”

Know how I felt? I didn’t think it was Alzheimer’s because I’ve had this problem for my entire life. Despite having solid clues that I use, my clues still fail me, just like when I try to recall the name of a publishing company that published one of my books. I tell myself, “What do you do when you jump up?” The answer, of course, is "spring,” but it doesn’t always come so quickly.

But things like this, especially for anyone who's had it for their entire lives, don't mean that I or anyone else have a form of dementia known as aphasia. For whatever reason, my brain isn't embedding people's names where they're supposed to be stored, and I have to live with it. I have used all of the memory techniques that have been suggested by numerous professionals and none of them work reliably for me.

The only one that worked, or works partially for me, is the clue one, and, as you can see, that's not always something on which I can depend. For example, I have a neighbor named Joe, and his wife recommended that if I just think of "cup of Joe," the term often used for coffee, I might be able to remember his name. Well, guess what? It works all the time for me. Forever, he shall be "cup of Joe."

Of course, not remembering, for various reasons, is part of being human. However, remembering everything is not the unique gift we might think it is. Whenever you think that having an incredible memory is something you would treasure, think of the unfortunate case of Alexander Luria’s study of Solomon Shereshevsky, also known simply as "S."

Laurie wrote about this man's inability to forget in his famous book, The Mind of a Mnemonist. S could recall and recite word-for-word pages of text he had been shown decades earlier. It is one of the most extraordinary examples of an inability to forget.

One of the Long-Term Studies

Just as there is a famous, ongoing, and long-term study of heart disease and longevity (the intergenerational Framingham Heart Study), other studies are decades long. One study that comes to mind, one of my postgraduate professors took part in, is Donald Super's career choice study, which began in 1951 and studied boys in the eighth or ninth grade in elementary school into their adult years and their careers. Researchers have conducted many other studies in the area of genetics, cognition, and specific diseases, such as the Nurses Health Study of breast cancer, for multiple decades.

Of course, in the area of studies, a particular study of memory stands out: The Nun Study by Dr. David Snowdon. The study of nuns in a cloistered convent in the Midwestern United States detailed evaluations of their lifestyles, prior education, and current activities in a group who agreed to donate their brains for Alzheimer's research. Altogether, 678 nuns ages 75 to 107 took part in the study. The study results were also available to consumers in Snowdon’s book, Aging with Grace.

The Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP) was started in 1997 in Illinois. It focuses on gathering information from 910 individuals who have maintained their abilities. The study mainly involved participants, and annual assessments monitored their neurological, cognitive, physical, and emotional well-being over a span of up to fourteen years.

While there is some evidence linking lower psychological well-being to an increased risk of dementia, how our psychological well-being changes as dementia progresses remains unknown. Six dimensions of psychological well-being were measured yearly: self-acceptance, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, positive relations with others, and personal progress.

One component of well-being is having a sense of purpose in life. A meta-analysis indicated that a decreased risk of dementia was associated with a feeling of meaning and purpose in life. This aligns with previous findings from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP), which showed that a higher sense of meaning in life was associated with a decreased likelihood of developing moderate cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia and might increase the time without dementia.

In addition, a higher degree of psychological wellness may lessen the cognitive impairments caused by Alzheimer’s disease, which has been associated with rapid cognitive decline. The fact that people with dementia frequently struggle to adapt to new circumstances, set new goals, and maintain old connections may have an impact on psychological health.

Purpose and Happiness

According to previous studies, there are social, behavioral, and biological routes by which well-being protects health. Similarly, there may be processes that connect well-being to a reduced risk of dementia. A good example is the correlation between happiness and increased social engagement, which helps with cognitive function and staves off dementia, according to the available studies.

An increase in happiness can improve mental and neurological health, which in turn encourages healthier lifestyle choices like quitting smoking and increasing physical exercise. Studies have also shown that those with higher levels of well-being have better cardiovascular functioning, which lowers their risk of dementia. Is happiness a factor in warding off dementia? The World Happiness Report appears to veer in that direction. The website offers the complete report for download.

As they say, often in jest, "Let us smile be your umbrella on a rainy day." Studies to date have shown that a sense of purpose brings happiness, which can be one of your major assets in maintaining your cognitive health. The recommendations, therefore, are simple: Find your purpose and stick to it, and you will help yourself. Purpose is the motto of a life well lived. Supporting the well-being of individuals with dementia and their caregivers requires activities and settings that enhance well-being.

I know one woman who, to celebrate her 85th birthday, decided to explore activities that few of her age would consider. She not only went on a very long zip line in Central America but also went skydiving and had a photo taken of her in freefall.

She continues to find new purpose in life in the assisted living facility, where she has proven to be a leader for those who may have felt lost and warehoused. Her spirit and energy continue to encourage others to live life as fully as they can physically. She has also improved her well-being and found a new purpose that can only benefit her as she leads others in performing plays, creative writing activities, and trips into the surrounding area to explore the environment.

We can be our best mental and physical health advocates if we follow the most straightforward rule: find a meaningful purpose for ourselves.