Simple steps to boost your MEMORY

We all struggle with memory occasionally as we age, so follow our expert advice on what to do, and when to seek help

- KAREN EVENNETT

It can be a bit of a joke when you've been looking for glasses that were already on your head, or have no idea why you've just marched so purposefully from one room to another. And most people experience something similar as they age. So what is the difference between 'normal' ageing of the brain and possible dementia?

Retaining new information

+ DON'T WORRY if you forget something you were told a while ago, or take longer to work out new tasks, such as how to set up your new computer or phone. 'It's also a common sign of normal ageing to misplace things from time to time and to have to retrace your steps to find them,' says Dr Tim Beanland, Head of Knowledge Management at Alzheimer's Society.

Just as your hair greys and your skin wrinkles with age, changes to your brain also occur. Shrinkage and stiffening of parts of the brain started in your 30s, but speed up after the age of 60, and the prefrontal cortex (responsible for making complex decisions) is one of the areas most affected by natural ageing.

+ WHAT TO DO Get organised. Have particular places you keep things like keys such as a hook or basket by the door, or a specific pocket in your handbag.

+WHEN TO SEEK HELP You're not just slower at setting up your new phone, you've become unable to learn new tasks and can't do it at all. 'It's also a concern if you're repeatedly asking the same question, such as, "Are the doors locked?",' says Dr Beanland. 'Another sign is if you start putting objects in unusual places - placing your keys in the bathroom cabinet, for example.'

Poor judgement

+ DON'T WORRY if you sometimes make impulsive decisions.