Eight questions show whether your pattern looks like normal aging or is worth raising with a doctor. A self-check, not a diagnosis.
Memory visit sheet
SampleResults I am bringing
Memory self-check: worth raising with a doctor
Our questions
Two things to do in about five minutes each. Both run on this device; nothing is sent. Emergency signs are listed first on both pages.
Most people misread both directions. They worry about changes that are typical — or dismiss changes that are worth attention.
Many conditions besides dementia can cause memory changes — sleep problems, depression, thyroid issues, medication side effects, and B12 deficiency are all treatable causes.
Before any conversation about neurodegenerative disease, a thorough clinical evaluation should check for eight common, treatable causes of memory change. Tick each one your provider has evaluated.
Based on AAN Dementia Evaluation Guideline 2018 and Alzheimer's Association 2022 Diagnostic Criteria. This is a conversation prompt, not a clinical assessment.
Thyroid function (TSH)
Blood testsHypothyroidism is one of the most common and most correctable causes of cognitive slowing and memory changes. TSH elevation causes reduced metabolic activity in the brain. Treatment with thyroid hormone often improves or reverses cognitive symptoms, though response varies by person.
Vitamin B12 level
Blood testsB12 deficiency causes progressive demyelination of neurons and presents as cognitive slowing, confusion, and memory loss — sometimes before anemia appears. It is common in older adults because stomach acid production (needed to absorb B12) declines with age. Correctable with supplementation or injections.
Blood glucose / HbA1c
Blood testsBoth uncontrolled diabetes and frequent hypoglycemia episodes impair cognitive function. Chronic elevated glucose is associated with hippocampal shrinkage. Good glycemic control is associated with preserved cognition in the ACCORD-MIND trial.
Sleep quality and duration
SleepSleep is when the brain clears metabolic waste via the glymphatic system — including amyloid, the protein that accumulates in Alzheimer's. Both short sleep (<6h) and sleep apnea are independently associated with accelerated cognitive decline and increased amyloid accumulation (Mander BA et al., Nature Neuroscience 2015).
Depression and anxiety
Mental healthDepression causes 'pseudodementia' — cognitive symptoms including poor concentration, word-finding difficulty, and memory problems that are often reversible with treatment. It is the single most common condition misdiagnosed as early dementia in adults over 65. The PHQ-9 is a valid screening tool.
Medication review
MedicationsDozens of commonly prescribed medications impair cognition, including: anticholinergics (bladder medications, older antihistamines), benzodiazepines, sleep aids, opioids, certain blood pressure medications, and some antidepressants. Polypharmacy (5+ medications) compounds the risk.
Hearing loss
SensoryUntreated hearing loss is now recognized as the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia — larger than physical inactivity, smoking, or hypertension (Livingston G et al., Lancet 2020). Hearing loss strains cognitive resources, reduces social engagement, and causes apparent memory lapses that are actually processing failures. Correction with hearing aids reduces this risk.
Vitamin D level
Blood testsVitamin D deficiency is extremely common (estimated 40% of US adults) and has been linked to increased dementia risk in multiple observational studies, including data from the UK Biobank. The mechanism likely involves inflammation and vascular effects. Repletion is low-cost and low-risk.
Most people worry about changes that are typical aging. Some dismiss changes that are worth attention. Select a stage to see what clinicians actually look for to tell them apart.
What everyone experiences
Prevalence
Universal
Memory pattern
Slightly slower recall; names take a moment to surface
Daily function
Fully intact — no impact on work or independence
Typical examples
Progression
Stable; not a disease process
Clinical evaluation
No diagnosis needed. Annual wellness visit is appropriate.
Recommended action
No action required. Exercise, sleep, and social engagement protect long-term brain health.
This comparison is for educational purposes only. Only a healthcare provider can diagnose cognitive conditions. Take the self-check below to understand your own pattern, then talk to a physician.
8 questions to help you understand whether what you are experiencing is within the range of normal aging or worth discussing with a doctor.
Answer 8 questions to help understand whether what you are experiencing is within the range of normal aging or worth bringing up with a doctor. Takes about 2 minutes.
For family
Sometimes the person who notices the first changes isn't the one experiencing them. If you've seen something in a parent, partner, or friend and aren't sure whether it matters, this gentle check-in can help you put words to it — and decide what to do next.
Eight short observations about whether your parent, partner, or friend has changed over the past few years. Answer the way you've seen it — there are no wrong answers, and you can stop anytime. It takes about two minutes, and nothing you enter is saved or shared.
Based on the AD8 informant questionnaire. A screening aid, not a diagnosis.
Ask about memory loss. Sage gives general information in plain words and can be wrong. Pick a question or type your own.
Your question goes to SolvingHealth’s assistant and an AI model provider so it can answer. Nothing is stored against an account. Sage gives general health information, not medical advice. In an emergency call 911, and for a crisis call or text 988.
Key risk factors and information about memory loss.
Age is the strongest known risk factor for Alzheimer's and related dementias. After age 65, the risk doubles every five years. Early screening matters.
Open →Having a first-degree relative with Alzheimer's increases your risk. Certain genetic variants like APOE-e4 are associated with higher likelihood, though they don't guarantee diagnosis.
Jump to →High blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease are linked to higher dementia risk. What's good for your heart is good for your brain.
Jump to →Occasionally forgetting a name or misplacing keys is normal. Forgetting how to do familiar tasks, getting lost in known places, or personality changes may signal something more serious.
Jump to →Loneliness and social withdrawal are both risk factors for cognitive decline and early warning signs. Staying socially engaged is one of the most protective things you can do.
Open →If memory changes interfere with daily life, if loved ones express concern, or if you notice confusion with time or place, schedule a cognitive evaluation. Early detection opens more treatment options.
Open →See a healthcare provider if you experience any of these warning signs.
Forgetting recently learned information or important dates
Difficulty planning, solving problems, or following familiar recipes
Confusion about time, place, or how you got somewhere
Trouble understanding visual images or spatial relationships
New problems with words in speaking or writing
Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps
Withdrawal from work, hobbies, or social activities
Changes in mood, personality, or judgment
Not another symptom checker. A new way to understand and manage your health.
Start the self-check or the family check-in right away. No account needed.
Sage answers in plain words and points to sources. It can be wrong, so confirm anything important with your clinician.
Optional. The SolvingHealth connector adds its tools to Claude Desktop. None of them is specific to memory loss.
Search the CMS NPI Registry for a neurologist by state, and print a checklist to bring to the visit.
Some care for a diagnosed condition can be paid from an HSA or FSA. Your plan administrator decides.
Write down what the doctor said while it is fresh. Kept in this browser on this device, and not sent anywhere.
Caring for someone with memory changes is lonely. The Alzheimer’s Association runs a Helpline, staffed around the clock, for people with memory concerns and for families.
Run by the Alzheimer’s Association, not by this site. In a crisis call or text 988; in an emergency call 911.
Real-time search of every neurologist in the United States. Powered by the CMS NPI Registry.
Optional, for people who already use Claude Desktop. This connects Claude to the SolvingHealth server, which serves the whole network. It has 193 tools grouped by product, and none of them is built for memory loss. It includes a Care Wishes reader, an HSA/FSA savings calculator, and a National Provider Identifier lookup. For this site’s self-check and visit sheet, use the pages above.
"solvinghealth": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-remote",
"https://solvinghealth-mcp-489007249571.us-central1.run.app/mcp"]
}This site is one of a family of connected health sites. Each one hands you to the next when you need it.
For families navigating cognitive decline. Worker-owned companion care and AI-powered care coordination.
Care Wishes as a conversation, not a form. Most meaningful when completed before a diagnosis changes everything.
For the one who noticed. A private check-in on how you are doing, and words to start the conversation.
The agentic orchestration layer. Condition connectors and personalized health intelligence.
Start with the self-check. If the results point to a next step, co-op.care, CareGoals and familycaregive.com are the right next stops.
Not sure what help you need? Start a care assessment at co-op.care
Your next step
Some of the items your results point to may qualify for HSA/FSA reimbursement. Your plan administrator decides.
A physician-signed Letter of Medical Necessity can support an HSA/FSA claim, case by case, for:
cognitive tools, memory aids, caregiver support
What the letter does
Documents need, case by case
The physician may decline, and your plan administrator decides. Not tax advice.
A worker-owned care cooperative, built in Boulder, Colorado:
Not ready yet? Ask Sage a question instead
Not tax advice. HSA/FSA eligibility is determined per case by a physician and your plan administrator, and is never guaranteed in advance.
Powered by SolvingHealth
Evidence-based articles for patients and families who want to understand more.
While most memory changes are gradual and warrant a routine appointment, certain presentations require urgent or emergency evaluation.
Go to the emergency room for: sudden onset severe confusion or disorientation (possible stroke, encephalitis, or delirium); memory loss following a head injury; sudden inability to recognize family members or familiar places; rapid onset behavioral changes (possible encephalitis — inflammation of the brain, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate IV treatment); and memory changes with fever, stiff neck, or sensitivity to light (possible meningitis).
Delirium — acute sudden confusion — is not dementia, though it is commonly mistaken for it. Delirium develops over hours to days, fluctuates in severity, and has a specific cause (infection, medication toxicity, surgery, dehydration). It is common in hospitalized older adults. Treating the underlying cause typically resolves delirium, though it may take weeks to fully clear. Delirium does increase the risk of subsequent dementia.
Seek same-week evaluation for: a noticeable step-change worsening in cognition over days to weeks (possible vascular event, medication side effect, or metabolic cause); new memory problems in a person on medications known to impair cognition (benzodiazepines, opioids, anticholinergics); and new confusion in an older adult with fever or symptoms of a urinary tract infection.
Source: Alzheimer's Association Emergency Warning Signs 2024; AGS Delirium Clinical Practice Guideline.
Real questions patients and families ask about memory loss and cognitive health. General education, not medical advice. When you have read them, check what you know.
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
The self-check and the family check-in ask about memory. This asks what you know. Eight questions, each keyed to a line on this page; a wrong tap shows the line and where to re-read it. Nothing leaves your phone.
It measures what this page explained, not how your memory is. For that, use the self-check, the family check-in and your clinician. In an emergency call 911; in crisis call or text 988 first.
1Someone suddenly becomes confused, has trouble speaking, or is weak on one side of the body. What does this page say to do?
2Someone is in crisis, or thinking about harming themselves. What does this page say to do?
3Forgetting a name, then remembering it later. Where does this page place that?
4What does this page say happens over time to people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)?
5Before memory changes are put down to dementia, what does this page say should be checked?
6According to the 2020 Lancet Commission cited on this page, which single modifiable risk factor for dementia is the largest?
7In the ACHIEVE trial described on this page, what happened to the hearing aid group over 3 years?
8What did the FINGER trial on this page test, and what did it find after 2 years?
General education, not medical advice
Check the sources linked here, and confirm anything important with your own clinician.
Medical disclaimer: The information on this website is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It does not replace a consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
Same approach, different question. Each one is a real site, not a landing page.