Geritrician Outlines Alzheimers VS. Normal Forgetting

A Geriatrician at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center says it's normal to forget certain things, especially as people get older.

But Dr. Cara Thomas says if it starts interfering with living a normal life  it may be time to see a doctor to check for Alzheimer's disease. Thomas says many people forget simple things such as where they put their car keys or the names of people they have recently met.

But she says if a person  consistently forgets to pay their bills, or pays the same bill over and over, it could signal a problem  Similarly, while it's normal to temporarily  forget the names of casual  acquaintances, forgetting the names of close friends  or immediate family members is cause for concern.

Thomas says the question that  needs to be asked is whether the issue rises to the level of causing serious problems, such as when a person is unable to properly eat because they forget where the grocery store is or they can't compile a shopping list that makes sense.

Thomas says a checklist of possible red flags is available at the Alzheimer's Association website.