|
Memory Problems - Fact Sheet
 While it is possible to
permanently lose embedded and long-term memories following an acquired brain
injury, it is much more common for a brain injury to significantly  Affect
short-term memory.
Common everyday experiences become a
nightmare of confusion without strategies to manage or compensate for the
effects of memory impairment. Problems may include forgetting people’s names,
losing a train of thought, getting lost at the shops, repeating or forgetting
past conversations, misplacing objects and difficulty learning new skills.
Coping with Memory
Problems
Although there is no wonder treatment for
memory problems there are many effective strategies that a person can learn to both
improve their memory and to improve the successful use of their memory.
Memory training
Rote learning
It turns out that rote learning is one of
the most effective ways to improve your memory over the long-term. Rote
learning is memorisation by repetition, simply rereading material until you
know it, and is familiar to all who went through an old-style school education.
Although it can be uninteresting, uninspiring, tedious and boring, rote
learning practice promotes identifiable changes in brain chemistry and results
in improved memory performance long-term.
Brain training
Training your brain (crossword puzzles,
sudoku, logic puzzles, games, etc.) really does work to improve your Cognitive
performance long-term, and that includes memory. There are two important
principles to remember:
- Expertise is task specific. In other
words, train what you want to improve. If you want to improve your short-term
memory, play memory puzzles. If you want to improve your language skills, do a
crossword puzzle. If you want to improve your spatial awareness skills, take up
Tai Chi.
- Not all puzzles are equally effective. A
lot of research is being conducted into the most effective ways to train
cognitive performance, and some techniques are more effective than others. The
best way to find the best training program may be to pay for it – either
computer software or consultation with a Neuropsychologist or other
professional. Having said that, anything is better than nothing, so keep on
doing those newspaper puzzles or playing tetris!
Brain Training Software
Not surprisingly, many software programs
are available – for a price – to train your brain. They are not all geared
towards rehabilitation following an acquired brain injury and you may find that
they are not quite suitable for you. If you can discuss them with a neuropsychologist,
do so. Some good, scientifically supported programs, appear to be:
(these sites are external to www.braininjury.org.au)
Memory compensation
Compensatory strategies are just that –
they compensate for an impaired ability. Just as you may use a cane or a guide
dog if you lose your vision, you can compensate for impaired short-term memory.
Organising the environment
The aim
is to arrange surroundings so that less reliance or demand is placed upon a
person’s memory. Strategies for organising the environment include the
following:
- Using a notepad system
beside the phone
- Using a large notice board
and making plans
- Having a special place to
keep objects which tend to go missing
- Labelling or colour-coding
cupboards as a reminder of where things are kept
- Tying objects to places e.g.
a pen to the phone or a key to a belt.
Using external memory aids
Everyone
uses an external memory aid of some type. When effectively used to store
information, memory aids should enable a person to focus upon learning and recalling
details for which a strategy cannot be used. Types of external aids include:
- A diary for storing and
planning
- Notebooks of all sizes for
various places
- Lists and checklists
- Alarm clock, wristwatch
alarm and timer
- Calendar
- Wall chart
- Tape recorder or dictaphone
- Electronic organiser
- Pill reminder box
- Post-it notes
- A memory book containing
historical events, personal experiences and names.
It is important to realise that not
everyone will benefit in the same way from the same tips. Some people have
difficulty using a mobile phone with an organiser, for example, because they
forget to plug the phone into the charger. Although you can set yourself a
reminder to do this once a day, that won’t do you any good if you’re out of the
house at the time, or in another room.
The best thing to do is to experiment with
different aids until you find the one that works for you.
Developing routines to use
memory aids
Learning
new skills takes some time and effort before they become automatic. A routine
is itself a strategy for coping with memory problems. Sometimes a calendar or a
diary is a helpful way to reinforce a routine. Using a memory aid involves a
three-step routine, for example:
- Writing in a diary
information that will be needed later
- Checking the diary entries
regularly
- Acting on the information
(performing the tasks or attending appointments).
Improving general
well-being
It is important to remember that you brain
will only perform well while it is well fuelled, well rested and as healthy as
you can make it.
In particular, the vitamins A and E, most
of the B-group vitamins and Iron, are all essential for your brain to function
smoothly. Although you can take supplements, this can be expensive and there
are some dietary supplements that you can overdose on. The best way to ensure
that your body and brain are getting everything they need is to eat a good
diet.
There are strong claims made for herbal
supplements such as brahmi and gingko biloba, however the scientific evidence
is mixed and they should be considered aids, rather than cures.
Factors
such as anxiety, stress, multiple demands and fatigue can all have serious
effects on concentration and memory. Therefore, the improvement of a person’s
emotional and physical well-being will most likely have benefits for their
mental alertness and ability to process information. Important considerations
for improving general well-being include:
- Sufficient restful sleep
-
Regular exercise
- Relaxation and stress-reduction
strategies
-
Following prescribed medication
guidelines and medical advice
- Avoiding alcohol, cigarettes
and recreational drugs.
Specific memory techniques
The use of visual and verbal association
techniques helps to put information into a meaningful context. When a person
tries to recall such information later they can use the associated visual and
verbal information e.g. her name rhymed with chess - visualise her as a queen
on the chess board (Jess).
A good way to remember numbers is by
chunking. For example 4578 is remembered as forty-five, seventy eight.
Likewise, 502145 would be remembered as half a century followed by the age we
get the key to the door and the age a cousin has remained for the past five
years.
Other techniques include:
- Selecting and prioritising key
information
- Repeating or rehearsing key
information using self-talk
- Using visual and verbal
association to learn new information to help recall it later
-
Creating visual pictures of a
name
-
Using acronyms or mnemonics
- Categorising information into
groups.
If there is a lot of information to learn
or you are finding it difficult, break your rehearsal up into small sessions
with a short break in between. This is called distributed practice, and is much
more effective than trying to cram in everything at once. Make the breaks
short, because forgetting happens quickly.
The PQRST strategy can be used to improve reading and understanding of written
material (practice this strategy using a newspaper article).
The
steps include:
P - Preview (look over a newspaper article)
Q - Question: What is this article likely to be about?
R - Read the article carefully with the goal of answering the question
S - Summarise or state the main points of the article
T - Test: try to recall the main points immediately and after a short delay (20
minutes).
More information
- Rote learning improves memory:
http://www.ucd.ie/research/news/2006/dec/131206_Memory_Loss.htm
- Long-term effects of cognitive
training on everyday functional outcomes in older adults
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/296/23/2805
http://www.smart-kit.com/s580/accelerated-learning-improved-memory-via-distributed-practice/
|
Memory Problems 
