Active Minds tips and techniques

Content produced by the Occupational Therapy Team, Day Rehabilitation Unit, Whiteabbey Hospital.

Tips and techniques for our memory

There are things we do day to day that can be stressful like forgetting someone’s name or misplacing our keys or our glasses.  We usually find them after retracing our steps.  However, there are some things we can do which may help us.

The Active Minds team hope you find these helpful and will start to use them every day.

How can we improve our memory?

One of the most effective ways we can improve our memory is by repetition – by repeating information many times each day.  Rhymes can also be used as a memory aid.  A series of numbers such as a phone number with an area code or a mobile number may be broken down into smaller groups.  A person may go through each letter of the alphabet to remember a name.  Another method is to relate information to something you already understand.  The brain like the muscles in our body needs to be exercised to help it work better.

Memory strategies

Visualisation

Visualisation helps us remember, if you take time when you are putting your glasses away to look and focus on the table you set your glasses on, you are more likely to remember where you put them.  If you have to stop at the shop, for example, and buy a loaf of bread or milk, if you can picture yourself going into the shop and buying what you need, you are more likely to remember to do it.

Say it as you do it – really important

An example of this is, if you want to remember if you have switched the iron off or locked the back door, if you say at the time, “I am switching off the iron or I am locking the back door, even repeat it, you say it as you do it.  Try to really concentrate.  Saying it out loud helps you remember what you have done.  The more you say it, the more likely you will remember.

Staying organised

Staying organised is important to good medication management. Using a pill organiser allows you to pre-sort your medications each week.

 

Use a large bowl to keep track of the items you are using every day.

When you write things by hand, your brain processes them better and commits it to memory.  Good writing skills help us communicate your message

One way that you can remember what you have on in a week is by using a weekly planner.  This example uses a whiteboard, which includes days of the week and a section to write your shopping list.  Hang this somewhere where you can use it every morning

Remembering peoples’ names

Everyone likes to hear their name, so remembering and using them will help you build up relationships, confidence and trust in the person.  It is very important to really listen when you are introduced to someone and try to focus your attention on them.  A problem is that our inner voice uses the same neural connections as our external ear, so that if you are thinking about what to say next to the person, it is difficult to give complete attention to what we hear.

1. Say hello to people by looking them straight in the face.
2. Try to concentrate and really listen to the other person’s name.
3. Politely ask the person to repeat their name if you did not hear it.
4. Try to say the name in your mind.
5. Use the person’s name as you talk to them but avoid overdoing it.
6. When you have an opportunity write the person’s name in a notebook with any details you would like to remember about them.
7. You can convert the name into a memorable visual image.
8. Identify one unique feature of characteristic about the person, usually the face eg big ears, large nose, black or red hair.

Practical steps to help you remember where items are

1. Use a large bowl or tray to keep the items in you are using every day.
2. When you place items down, pay close attention to where you are and who is there and concentrate completely. Try to minimise any distractions at the time.
3. Say the item out loud – repeating the name can help you remember where it is.
4. When you are looking for something, try to visualise what you were doing at the time when you had it and how you were feeling. Try to determine the last time you saw the item.  This can sometimes help you find it.
5. Retracing your steps can help you work out where you lost it.
6. Write down a list of the last place/places you remember seeing it.
7. Walk through all the rooms you have been in since you lost the item.
8. If you are stressed out, it will be harder for you to find it. Try to stay calm and take a few deep breaths to help you relax yourself.

Practical organisational skills and use of memory aids

Everyone remembers things in a different way.  The more ways we experience information, the more likely we are to remember it.

Staying organised and making a to-do list will help you structure your day and make effective use of your time.

Examples of external memory aids are daily planners, calendars on wall, notebooks, sticky notes, smart phones, laptops, Alexa smart speaker, whiteboards and clipboards with magnets for important letters noticeboard to display appointments, lists, checklists, medication blister packs and alarms.

Use a technique you are confident with.  Here are a few ideas to help you:

• Remember to look at the calendar at least once a day to check appointments or routine daily plan.
• Write your daily list at breakfast every day.
• When making shopping list, break it down into fruit and vegetables, dairy, cereal and cleaning products.
• Organise a binder that contains all your important items, i.e. insurance, life, health, birth certificates, bank accounts, passports so you can find them easily if you need to. In the event of an accident or tragedy, you have all policy number/phone numbers and details at hand.
• As bills are received, place them in a large file or envelope to avoid losing them. Write down details that you want to remember in a notebook that you can carry with you.
• Ask family members or friends to set up reminders on your phone or to set up alarms on smart speakers like Alexa or Google Home. Looking through photos can help remind you of holidays or special occasions and bring back happy memories.
• Demonstration of practical aids available; whiteboard, clipboard, user friendly phone with family pictures, notebook and pen, pill container, Alexa, smart speakers.

Practical ways to manage stress

We mention how we become stressed and stress can affect how well our memory works.  Stress can be defined as the mental stage when we find difficulty coping with our present situation.  It is not considered to be an illness but can lead to anxiety, low mood and even lead to depression.  It causes the release of chemicals into our blood stream.  These are adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol, which trigger a stress response in our body.  It can occur suddenly (be short lived) – acute episode or more prolonged over time (chronic stress).  It is easy for pressures to build up.  We cannot always control the stress that comes but we can find ways to reduce the pressure we put on ourselves.

We need to set realistic expectations – have the courage to say no when we know we are doing enough.  It is important if we can try to and express feelings instead of bottling them up, balance between rest and exercise and try to focus on one task at a time rather than multi-tasking (doing more than one thing at a once).

At this stage we would like to do some relaxation.  Playing relaxation music can help.

Safety with mail, phone calls and doorstep callers

Be particularly careful when receiving mail or telephone calls relating to charities, health products, competitions, pension related items or investments.

Scammers also call claiming to be from organisations like gas/electrical suppliers, banks, medical practices, computer companies and telephone/internet providers.

Please watch out for bogus callers to your door.  They may suggest that you need repairs carried out to guttering on the roof of your house.  Do not be taken in by this.  It is important that you seek advice from an reputable tradesman who can verify if you need any repair/maintenance work done.

Please do not hand over money to a trader or go with him to the bank to take money out.  Do not allow someone to pressurise you into buying goods at your doorstep.  It is important to shop around and discuss it with someone you can trust.

Some examples of online scams are free trial offers eg health or beauty products, emails from your bank requesting your personal details, counterfeit goods, people offering loan schemes.

You can be sure your bank will never ask you to transfer money to another account because of evidence of fraud on your account.  Also genuine computer companies will not make unsolicited phonecalls.

Related links

Fire home safety
Fraud prevention