Is Memory Failure EVERYDAY LIFE?

How does my memory compare to yours? We can’t help but compare our mental abilities with others. Students in memory class and I have discussed memory improvement through memory training. The idea of “training” for memory might conjure up pictures of your brain lifting weights!

Sites to improve your memory, attention, and overall cognition are alive and well and ready to take your money. Before you push a button and commit to a brain "gym membership," you might want to see how you are doing.

The Everyday Memory Questionnaire (revised) by Royle, J. & Lincoln, N.B. (2008) provides a relatively simple way to see how performance on everyday tasks prove you are a memory master or indicate areas needing some “brain bulking-up.”

TAKE THE TEST

Below are examples of things that happen to people in everyday life. Some of them may happen frequently and some may happen very rarely. For each of the 13 items, consider how often, on average, you think each has happened to you over the past month.

Rate each item on a scale of 0 — 4 using the following key:

Give yourself a 0 if it has happened once or less in the last month

1 = for more than once a month but less than once a week

2 = for about once a week

3 = for more than once a week or less than one day

4 = for once or more in a day

**You’ll want to keep track so that you can add the 13 item ratings together at the end!!

1. Having to check whether you have done something that you should have done. 2. Forgetting when it was that something happened; for example, whether it was yesterday or last week. 3. Forgetting that you were told something yesterday or a few days ago, and maybe having to be reminded about it. 4. Starting to read something (a book or an article in a newspaper, or a magazine) without realizing you have already read it before. 5. Finding that a word is ‘on the tip of your tongue’. You know what it is but cannot quite find it. 6. Completely forgetting to do things you said you would do, and things you planned to do. 7. Forgetting important details of what you did or what happened to you the day before. 8. When talking to someone, forgetting what you have just said. Maybe saying ‘what was I talking about?’ 9. When reading a newspaper or magazine, being unable to follow the thread of a story; losing track of what it is about. 10. Forgetting to tell somebody something important, perhaps forgetting to pass on a message or remind someone of something. 11. Getting the details of what someone was told you mixed up and confused. 12. Forgetting where things are normally kept or looking for them in the wrong place. 13. Repeating to someone what you have just told them or asking someone the same question twice.

You've added your rating for the 13 items together and have a total -- here's what to do now. Perhaps you think that went well, or maybe I’ve opened up a vortex of all that you thought was wrong with your memory. Don’t panic. Here are some numbers you can work with.

Your score will total up to be something between 0 and 52. Most people will score low numbers reporting zeros and ratings of 1 or 2 for each item. A score of 0 is unlikely because these forgetting experiences are part of every-day life. Though, a high score for which you gave yourself mostly 3's and 4's for each item should make you pause. Participants of the test creators, Royle and Lincoln had an average score of 9.75.

If your memory falls within the average range, you can consider yourself in the realm of "normal memory." Scores significantly above the average should be a cause for concern. Scores that are twice the average (such as nearing or exceeding 30) are particularly worrisome.

There is help for us all! When you think about the 13 items, chances are there is room for improvement. These items target memory retrieval (being able to get a memory when we want it) and attention (well, we all know what that is). Most of our problems begin with focusing on the task. I suggest you go back through the list and think about how much better you would be if you simply paid more attention (or had the energy to pay attention) during tasks.

If attention is to blame, perhaps you are trying to do too many things at once. I often forget where I placed my phone because I was busy talking to my family or picking up around the house, not due to a bad memory. If this helps…you may realize that with a little more sleep, time for relaxation, or tasking less, you can begin to IMPROVE. After all, memory failure IS a part of everyday life.

Reference

Royle, J. & Lincoln, N. B. (2008). The everyday memory questionnaire – revised: Development of a 13-item scale. Disability and Rehabilitation, 30 (2), 114-121.