Activity 3G: The Impact of Memory Loss

Imagine that you have lost your short-term memory for one day. Complete the three-part assignment.

1. List some things that you would forget to do or not be able to do.
2. Draw your facial expression at the end of the day without short-term memory.
3. Write down three adjectives to describe how you would feel at the end of the day.

Some elderly people lose their short-term memory. Age-associated memory impairment (AAMI) is a term used by health care professionals to describe minor memory difficulties that come with age. Memory loss that interferes with daily activity is not a normal part of aging, but is probably the result of a disease. You will learn more about this in lesson 6. As you talk with elderly people keep in mind that some of them may have difficulty in remembering. Remember your drawing and the way you felt with imagined memory loss. Be patient and understanding. You may encounter some elderly people who seem to always want to talk about the past but not the present. That may be a personal choice or it may be because their long-term memory is intact while their short-term memory is gone.