Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most terrifying prospects of getting older, as well as one of the most heartbreaking things to see a loved one experiencing and struggling with. There is no way to completely prevent Alzheimer’s, and there is currently no cure, so educating yourself to recognize the signs, symptoms, and stages is one of the best things you can do.

While some amount of forgetfulness and mental stumbling is normal with the aging process, it should only be occasional and minor, never causing major problems or seriously interfering with a senior’s quality of life. Forgetting someone’s name, failing to recall if you locked the door or not, and losing your keys are all normal lapses of memory that happen to everyone from time to time. However, more serious lapses like forgetting the way home, being unable to remember how a telephone works, or walking into a store and then suddenly not knowing where you are all probably point to an underlying neurological problem, such as Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.

Many people worry about losing mental faculties as they get older, and perhaps think there’s nothing they can do to prevent the inevitable development of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. It’s no wonder, our minds are, quite literally, who we are, and the idea of either forgetting huge parts of our lives, or becoming unable to form new memories are frightening prospects. But many of the preconceptions people have about older brains aren’t necessarily true, and there’s a whole litany of myths out there that can cause undue stress and mental anguish to people as they age. Read on to hear some of these common beliefs, and the reality that refutes them.

While some amount of forgetfulness, memory loss, and trouble thinking is normal with aging, what isn’t normal is suffering from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Less than 15% of the population aged 71 or older suffers from a degenerative dementia disorder, meaning that it’s certainly not guaranteed that you’ll get it as you get older.