The holiday season is just around the corner, and while it's a special time to gather and celebrate with family, it also offers a chance to see how our aging, loved ones are doing.

Our Christy Dutton spoke with a neurologist to find out what the potential signs of cognitive decline are, and what you can do about it.

This is part of our ongoing aging series called The Next Chapter, that explores the rewards and challenges of growing older.

Doctor Gregory Cooper from Norton Neuroscience Institute is here.

So, Doctor Cooper, when we're with family over the holidays, what signs should we look for that might indicate cognitive decline?

Well, really, first of all, we want to look for some type of change.

And that can mean a lot of things.

Our loved ones may have trouble, remembering recent events, following the train of a conversation.

They may seem more disoriented.

They may struggle more coming up with their words.

All of those might be things that would worry us.

Now, in the commotion of the holidays, we can all have lapses.

So you don't want to overreact to that.

But any change would be a clue.

And something else, particularly if we're visiting them, if they're having more difficulty maintaining their home or maybe their changes in their own appearance or their own hygiene, or we see that they're not, paying their bills or managing their finances.

Well, those might also be indications that would worry us.

Okay.

Well, what about, the relative that we see that tends to tell the same story over and over.

Is that a sign or anything to worry about?

It can be.

It can be.

And again we're looking for a change there.

So I think we all will repeat ourselves.

We all may forget who we told a story to.

And that by itself might not be a concern, but if there's really an uptick in that, if we're repeating ourselves more and more often, and if there's a lack of awareness that we're repeating ourselves, then that could be a concern.

That could be a concern that we're having problems with memory.

Yeah.

And November is a big month for Alzheimer's awareness.

Why is it during the holidays that we might notice some of these changes with our loved ones?

I think a lot of it is because this is a time we come together again.

So we may not have seen a family member or spent significant time with them for some months, and now there's an opportunity to be with them, to observe them.

And so we see those changes that we might not have picked up just on a casual phone call.

So I think that's a lot of it.

The holidays, although a wonderful time, can be a stressful time.

And that increased stress stresses our system.

It tests us a little bit more.

So some of those changes may come out a bit more.

Okay.

So it brings it to the surface perhaps a bit more.

So what sort of changes that we may see would be considered normal should we not worry about.

I think if we're just a little bit flustered, that could be normal.

If, we're a little more short tempered, that could be normal if we're under, stress, if we, walk into another room and forgot why we walked into that room.

All of those things can be normal and just associated with all the commotion and all the excitement of the holidays.

So those things can be normal.

Okay, that's good, because all those apply to.

I think they apply to all of us.

Yeah.

Okay.

So let's say you do notice something in a loved one and something that is of concern.

How do you bring it up?

So that can be very difficult.

And people are naturally going to be defensive.

I think all of us would be.

I think that you would want to try saying, well, we noticed some changes.

Not sure that significant, but it really would be a good idea to check that out with your primary doctor.

And if there is a change there, if there is a problem, let's see if there's a, solution for that.

Very often I might have memory problems, and it turns out to be a medical condition that I can fix, or a medication problem that I can fix, or if it is part of a real neurological problem, let's say it's the beginning of Alzheimer's disease.

We now have treatments that can meaningfully slow that down.

So let's not wait for this to get too far along.

Let's try to address this now.

Well, we either may find something we can reverse or at least treat this so that we can really maintain our quality of life.

Okay.

So if you see something, some changes, it is important to bring it up in the most compassionate, understanding way.

Right.

Yeah.

And I think I would really focus on there might be something we can do about this and let's not lose that opportunity.

Yeah.

And just real quick, let's say it's the holidays and you're with family members that have already been diagnosed with dementia.

Is there anything that can be done to help them during the holidays?

So I would say patients.

The holidays are a time when there's a lot going on.

It can be stressful, we can get overdone.

We can get taken out of our routine when we get taken out of our routine that stressful.

So maintain that routine when we can.

And let's not overdo ourselves.

Give ourselves time for rest, and let's be patient.

If I have Alzheimer's disease and I'm repeating myself, give me a break.

Be patient with me and allow me to be me.

That is great advice.

Doctor Cooper, thank you so much for your time for being here.

Thank you.

Okay, back to you.

Yeah.

Thank you so much, Christy, for bringing Doctor Cooper to us.

If you want to learn more about caring for someone with dementia, you can call the Alzheimer's Association 24 hour helpline at one 800 272 3900.