Age-associated memory impairment
A certain amount of forgetfulness is to be expected with age. Most people have more difficulty recalling names and words as they get older, so this is by no means symptomatic of dementia. An adage can serve to reassure those who are occasionally forgetful: "You need not worry if you forget where you put your car keys; you only need to worry if you forget what they're used for." These memory lapses associated with age-associated memory impairment are more likely to occur when a person is tired, sick, distracted, or under stress.
