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Being Honest about Memory LossI hear people younger than I make casual remarks about the trouble they have remembering things. "Now where did I leave my keys?" "I'm always forgetting things these days!"For many of us who have experienced memory loss, these comments are not casual. When we drive, memory is a key element in road safety and trouble with memory can be quite problematic whether we are taking a short trip to the nearby grocery store or a long trip up to that vacation cottage. The different types of memory all help us to drive safely. Short-term memory enables us to copy a telephone number; to track vehicles in the rearview mirror; to remember traffic and route signs in heavy traffic and freeways. Medium-term or intermediate memory enables us to leave the house with our keys, money, and shopping list; exit the expressway when we intended; to follow route signs on unfamiliar roads; to follow a planned route which includes a number of stops. Long-term memory enables us to follow traffic laws and "Rules of the Road"; to recall problem intersections and familiar traffic patterns; to take the shortest and safest route to a familiar destination. My long-term memory seems to have changed very little. I can remember events from the past quite well, but sometimes it takes me longer to do so. In driving patterns which require instant recall, I may have trouble making a decision quickly. My medium or intermediate-term memory has slowed, especially when I am tired or stressed. I know that trying to recall a street name or route instructions distracts me from the tasks of alert driving. The biggest change I have noticed is in my short-term memory. For example, from time to time, I have forgotten where other vehicles are even after checking my mirrors. I do not want to stop driving and do not believe I need to yet. Nevertheless, I always ask myself if I am ready to be a safe driver. Before I get behind the wheel, I do an honest self-assessment: am I mentally alert? Do I feel physically well? Being honest with myself is the surest way to reduce safety risks to myself and others. We each find unique ways of compensating for our aches, pains and loss of short-term memory. But it doesn't do anyone any good to make excuses for driving errors or disabilities.
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