Is Losing Your Words a Sign of Losing Your Mind? Language in Healthy Aging and Dementia

Everyone over the age of 40 occasionally experiences the so called ‘tip-of-the-tongue’ phenomenon, which is a frustrating and sometimes embarrassing instance of an inability to find a desired word. The frequency of these instances increases with age. Many wonder if this typical aging or if there is something to worry about!? While usually this is just a benign case of a momentary failure in word finding abilities, in some cases it may be a sign of atypical aging, such as mild cognitive impairment or dementia. This presentation will delineate the difference and offer tips on how to maintain language abilities in aging.