Q&As on memory and statin side effects

By Howard LeWine, M.D.

Q: What are some ways to help remember names and decrease other memory slip-ups?

A: While recurring or worsening memory issues should always be checked out, everyday lapses can be managed. Here are some tips on how to overcome some common memory situations:

Names. When you meet someone for the first time, make the connection meaningful. Many times, we forget a name because we didn’t notice it being said or don’t make an effort to try to remember it.

Repeat the name and immediately link it to something that may help trigger recall, such as the person’s appearance or job. Or associate the name with someone who has a similar name, like a celebrity, relative or movie character.

You can also connect the name with a rhyming word, a song or an image. For example, link the name Sandy with the idea of a beach, and imagine Sandy on the beach. Use as much detail as possible — picture her walking along the water’s edge or on a beach that’s familiar to you.

Finally, write down the name and the person’s relation to you (for example, your neighbor’s sister) in your smartphone or in a memory notebook specially dedicated to things you want to remember.

Routine tasks. We often forget routine behaviors like locking a door before bed because we are not fully engaged when we do them.

An excellent way to remind yourself of a completed task is to talk to yourself while doing it. Say it out loud, such as, “I’m locking the front door” or “I’m putting the clothes in the dryer.”

Everyday items. Always put things you regularly use in the same place. For example, set up dedicated areas near the front door, in the living room by your favorite seat, and in the bedroom, and use these spaces for all your vital objects like phone, keys, glasses and medicine.

For objects you don’t handle regularly, make a point to focus on the location where you place them and, again, tell yourself out loud what you are doing. For instance, say “I’m placing the scissors in the kitchen drawer below the coffeepot.”

Loneliness

From page 5 or have a dinner group on a regular basis,’” Dr. Olds said.

Other ideas for gatherings — either weekly or monthly — include game nights, trivia nights, hikes, birdwatching expeditions, running or cycling, meditation, museum visits, cooking, knitting, sewing, crafting, shopping, day trips to nearby towns, and even a collector showand-tell (comic books, antique dolls, baseball cards).

The people you invite don’t have to be dear friends; they can just be people you’d like to get to know better — perhaps neighbors or work acquaintances.

If they’re interested in a regular gathering, pin down dates and times. Otherwise, the idea might stay stuck in the talking stages.

“Don’t be timid. Say, ‘Let’s get our calendars out and get this scheduled,’” Dr. Olds said.

3. Brush up on your social skills. Sometimes we’re rusty in surface social graces that help build deeper connections. “It makes a huge difference when you can be enthusiastic rather than just sitting there and hoping someone will realize how interesting you are,” Dr. Olds said.

Here are some tips to practice:

• Smile more. Smiling is welcoming, inviting and hospitable to others.

• Be engaging. Prepare a few topics to talk about or questions to ask — per-

To-do lists . Smartphones also are great for scheduling reminders for tasks and appointments, and their alarms can be set up for one-time or recurring events.

You can also email yourself reminders, or leave yourself a note. Another approach is to create a visual reminder: Put an object associated with the task in a prominent place. For instance, if you need to order concert tickets, leave a picture of the artist near your phone or on your memory table.

Q: I’m told I need to be on a higher dose of atorvastatin (Lipitor) to lower my cholesterol. But I don’t even like taking the 10-milligram dose because I feel more aches and haps about the news or the reason you’ve gathered. (If it’s a seminar, for example, ask how long someone has been interested in the subject.)

Or look for a conversation starter. “Maybe the person is wearing a pretty brooch. Ask if there’s a story behind it,” Dr. Olds suggested.

• Be a good listener. “Listen in a way that someone realizes you’re paying attention. Hold their gaze, nod your head or say ‘Mm hmm’ as they’re talking so you give feedback. Assume everyone in the world is just yearning for your feedback,” Dr. Olds said.

• Ask follow-up questions. Don’t ignore signals that someone has interesting stories to tell. “If they allude to something, your job is to look fascinated and ask if they can tell you more. They’re dropping crumbs on a path to a deeper exchange,” Dr. Olds noted.

Even chats that don’t lead to friendships can be enriching. A 2022 study found that people who had the most diverse portfolios of social interactions — exchanges with strangers, acquaintances, friends, or family members — were much happier than those with the least diverse social portfolios.

Ultimately, a wide variety of interactions contributes to well-being, whether you’re talking to the cashier at the supermarket, a neighbor, an old friend, or a new one.

And all of these connections combined may go a long way toward helping you feel less lonely.

© 2023 by Harvard University