Memory
From sessions with the neuropsychologist, Ana is now in the process of accepting the changes to her memory post-stroke and is beginning to adapt to these changes by using the strategies discussed. She is feeling more confident with others being aware of these changes and being able to ask for support from family. Following the cognitive assessment, Ana is continuing to work with the neuropsychologist on the emotional consequences following the stroke.
Internal strategies – These are things you can do inside your head to help improve memory:
- Focusing attention – you are likely to remember something if you are able to give it your full attention
- Breaking information down into chunks – breaking information into smaller chunks makes it easier to remember
- Rehearsing and repeating – repeating information over and over, this can be silently or out loud
- Making information meaningful – Information that is meaningful or important to us is easier to remember.
External strategies – These are activities or tasks you can do to help you remember things:
- Writing things down and using a to-do list
- Using prompts, reminders and alarms
- Developing a routine – having a set order that you do things helps you remember them, for example taking medication at the same time each day
- Keeping things in the same place – “a place for everything and everything in its place”, for example, keeping keys on a hook by the front door.
Things staff, family and carers can do:
- Provide an emotionally calm, relaxed environment
- Break down tasks and information into small chunks
- Keep it short and simple
- Make sure you have the person’s attention before starting to speak
- Ask the person to repeat information back to you, to check understanding
- Memory is not an isolated problem, and difficulties are often accompanied by slowed thinking, executive difficulties, poor judgement, fatigue, lowered tolerance and reduced emotional control.
Page last reviewed: 15 Jul 2022
