Signs of my father's early onset dementia (Lewy body variant) appeared around age 60, and he was dead at 69. So I've been extremely aware of my own mental sharpness. Am I forgetting things? Do I forget words? Should I do a few more crossword puzzles? After the autopsy, the doctors said his type probably wasn't hereditary - I hope so!
If you forget things, it may or may not be a sign of dementia. I think most of us at one time or another go blank, particularly if we are under stress or tired. I expect being on lockdown, particularly for the first few months when COVID hit, has also turned brains into mush.
I had an uncle who many years ago used to buy those puzzle books -- crosswords, circle the word, etc. He claimed doing those puzzles kept his mind sharp. I think it worked for him because till the day he died, he was as sharp as a tack.
When I had a cardiac arrest back in 2008, I know I lost some brain function from lack of oxygen to the brain. When I got out of the hospital, I was encouraged to do whatever it took to at the very least preserve the few brain cells I had left. A friend of mine gifted me with a subscription to Luminosity, an internet program of games designed to stimulate brain function. Some of those games aren't easy, but that's ok. Can't improve or preserve brain function without challenges.
Even playing games like Solitaire or its variations like Spider Solitaire are beneficial. I've also found that debating issues on this forum are stimulating for my pea brain. I don't know that exercising the brain will necessarily prevent dementia, but maybe it will help to keep us sharp for as long as possible. And that's ok by me.
