Another common forgetfulness of aging is having trouble remembering the names of people that are in your outer social circles, like acquaintances you rarely see. Struggling to come up with their name is common, and it might take several minutes before the epiphany of "Oh, of course, that was Bill."
However, when you start forgetting pertinent information, this can be a sign to seek advice from a healthcare professional. This applies to any information that you actually spent time and effort trying to remember such as doctor appointments or a family member’s name.
Forgetting one appointment, as an isolated event, is not necessarily abnormal. But when you look back and there’s a pattern of forgetting appointments or to meet friends for lunch, this might be sign of early Alzheimer’s. And if close family members or friends are starting to notice your recent forgetfulness episodes, then this matter deserves further attention.
What about people who were always forgetful?
Some people are characterized by others as being absentminded, and, if that's been a lifelong pattern, then that's not too worrisome. However, if a close family member or good friend notices a recent or dramatic change in your thinking ability or forgetfulness, then you should visit your doctor to have it checked out.
What are symptoms of Alzheimer's disease other than memory loss?
Outside of the loss of memory, you may experience changes in your ability to carry out certain daily functions. For example, if you were the finance person in the family that balanced the checkbook and filed the taxes, and now you're having difficulty paying the bills that might be significant.
