Mental health problems are quite prevalent in older adults. According to WebMD, around one in four seniors experiences them. Depression and dementia top the list, followed by anxiety.
Being anxious occasionally is normal, even a typical part of life. However, if not managed well, anxiety can harm overall well-being and make it difficult to achieve and maintain optimal cognitive and emotional wellness in seniors. For instance, it can affect the brain’s memory functions.
So, does anxiety cause memory loss, then? How is anxiety and cognitive health connected, anyway? Most importantly, what can seniors do to achieve their goals of enjoying good mental health and aging with grace?
The kind, caring team at TerraBella Marchbanks, our warm, inclusive senior living community in the beautiful, friendly city of Anderson, South Carolina, put this guide together to answer all those questions.
Does Anxiety Cause Memory Loss?
Yes, anxiety can cause or contribute to memory loss. It can affect the brain’s working memory and short-term memory functions.
Anxiety can:
- Interfere with memory formation and retrieval
- Make it more difficult for the brain to encode and transform new information into long-term memory
- Make it more challenging to remember stored information
What Is the Connection Between Anxiety and Cognitive Health?
There’s a bi-directional connection between mental health and cognitive function. So, when mental health suffers, so can one’s cognitive abilities. Conversely, cognitive impairments can increase one’s likelihood of experiencing mental health problems, including anxiety.
For example, suppose an older adult experiences anxiety due to changes in their independence. As a result, they need to rely more on others for help with activities of daily living (ADLs). They keep worrying about losing their autonomy and being a burden to others.
Such distressing thoughts can result in anxiety-induced or stress-related memory issues.
Similarly, older adults who experience cognitive impairment, such as memory problems, may become increasingly worried. They may even develop anxiety disorders! It’s understandable, given that losing one’s brain functions (e.g., the ability to think and recall) can be highly stressful.
All that stress can affect how the brain creates memories. For instance, an article published by SciTechDaily.com points out that researchers state how stress, such as from persistent anxiety or trauma, could “rewrite” memories already written by the brain. It can lead to something called “stress-induced aversive memory generalization.”
Distress caused by anxiety or cognitive impairments can also affect one’s ability to recall. For instance, the researchers of an article published on ScienceDirect.com say stress can impede memory retrieval. Memory retrieval is how the brain accesses and remembers previously created and stored information.
What Can Seniors Do to Safeguard Their Mental and Cognitive Health?
While anxiety can cause or contribute to cognitive problems like memory loss and vice versa, there are many ways seniors can protect their overall health and wellness, including:
- Engaging in stress-reducing activities
- Building a supportive social network
- Transitioning to a welcoming, loving senior living community
Let’s delve into each of these strategies in more detail below.
Engaging in Stress-Reducing Activities
Older adults with high stress, anxiety, or both can benefit from senior-centered activities and events like:
- Gentle exercises, such as walking, tai chi, and yoga
- Mindfulness practices, including deep breathing and meditation
- Pursuing hobbies and interests, such as creative outlets like arts and crafts
Spending time in nature can also help promote good mental health and cognitive well-being in seniors. Indeed, a News-Medical.net article says that researchers found connections between better physical and mental health and seniors who live near or have easy access to blue and green spaces.
At TerraBella Marchbanks, we make such activities more accessible to our senior residents. A perfect example is Celebrations, one of our exclusive senior living programs. It gives our residents easy access to a robust calendar of fun, engaging, and stimulating daily activities and events.
We also have many on-site amenities that promote socialization, movement, and nature time. For example, we have:
- Senior-centric fitness and wellness classes
- A private community garden
- Covered outdoor seating
- Well-maintained courtyard
Our residents enjoy all those and more at TerraBella Marchbanks.
Building a Supportive Social Network
Meeting new people and maintaining existing social connections, especially with family and friends, are key to maintaining good mental and cognitive health. A solid, supportive social network can help:
- Provide a sense of belonging and acceptance
- Boost mood and reduce stress
- Stimulate the brain (e.g., through social interactions and conversations)
- Maintain cognitive functions through positive brain stimulation
- Reduce loneliness and avert social isolation
TerraBella Marchbanks, our assisted living and memory care community in Anderson, SC, does not just encourage socialization with our Celebrations program. Our Sensations dining and Dimensions health and wellness programs also promote connections.
Transitioning to a Senior Living Community
Older adults who experience anxiety, whether because they live alone, need help with ADLs, or feel worried that they’d need senior memory support at some point, should consider transitioning to a warm and inclusive assisted living and memory care community.
For example, at TerraBella Marchbanks in Anderson, SC, our top priority is to provide our residents with a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment. Our senior-centered amenities, compassionate care services, and maintenance-free living empower our residents to pursue their health and wellness goals.
Our team, comprised of highly experienced and kind care providers, is available 24/7 and can extend a helping hand if and when needed. The compassionate, personalized care they provide can help seniors worry less and, instead, live more of their golden years to the fullest.
Don’t Let Anxiety Get in Your Way
As you learned in this guide, the answer to the question, “Does anxiety cause memory loss?” is yes. Fortunately, anxiety and the cognitive woes it can contribute to are often preventable and manageable. Engaging in stress-busting activities, building a solid support network, and transitioning to a senior living community are some of the top ways older adults can keep anxiety and memory concerns at bay.
TerraBella Marchbanks works hard to ensure our residents enjoy their lives to the fullest with fewer worries and anxieties. From round-the-clock care and supportive services to exclusive senior lifestyle programs, all these (and more!) await you or your aging loved one in our senior living community in Anderson, SC.
Call us today to learn more and book a tour of our community!
