I have grown more forgetful over the past few months.

Senior moments are most often benign symptoms of a busy aging brain, but unfortunately they may also be a sign of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a subtle precursor to Alzheimer’s Disease. MCI can last 5-10 years and then not everyone, but a large percentage, will progress to Stage One Alzheimer’s, where symptoms get worse for 2-4 years.

Try keeping track of your senior moments in a log so you will be able to recognize a change in severity or frequency -- and recognize when it is time to be evaluated by a dementia specialist. The log will also be helpful for the doctor. With early diagnosis and treatment, the progression of the dementia can be slowed down, keeping you in MCI or Stage One–and mostly importantly, keeping you independent longer.