Epilepsy Talk
Memory Tips You (Hopefully) Won’t Forget! | November 7, 2025
I have a confession to make.
I was the queen of “Post-Its”. I had Post-Its on tables, counters, walls, doors. I don’t know how I lived without them.
I guess, in the “old” days, I was the same with lists. Many lists. And way too much Scotch Tape.
Factoid: The man who invented Post-Its was an employee at 3M (also the maker of Scotch Tape) who went to his boss with a bright new idea.
I don’t know if he got a raise, but he gets no royalties. Just my undying admiration and thanks.
Anyway, short of taking stock in 3M, here are some other suggestions…
WHEN…WHERE…OR WHAT…IS IT?
Problem: So, you tend to forget appointments, addresses, PINs, and other necessaries.
Solution: That’s what PDAs, appointment books and memo pads are for. Write reminders of annoying every day stuff on something reliable that you use and leave your mind free for more important things. Besides, the simple act of writing it down is one step closer to remembering.
WHAT AM I DOING HERE?
Problem: You forgot why you walked into another room.
Solution: Think of why you’re going there beforehand. Try to visualize it. And if that doesn’t work, retrace your steps on how you got there in the first place.
WHERE ARE THEY?
Problem: You can’t remember where you put your keys, wallet, cell phone, charger, glasses (that’s a hot one for me), or whatever.
Solution: Try a “Don’t-Lose-It Basket”. Chuck in all the main items that you often misplace. And don’t forget to throw in a memo pad!
WHAT’S THAT WORD?
Problem: A word, a place, or the name of something, is on the tip of your tongue, but you can’t come up with it.
Solution: Try to think of the first letter. (I often end up going through the whole alphabet, but eventually I get it.) Try to attach a rhyme to it. Or else skip it. Eventually, you’ll remember it. (Probably at 2:00 in the morning!)
I FORGOT HER NAME!
Problem: You have a hard time remembering people’s names. Who doesn’t? But if it’s your next door neighbor’s name, it’s a little embarrassing.
Solution: Take a good look at the person, repeat their name to yourself at least three times, then use it in a conversation. Or subtly fake it. Just greet them without saying their name. It’s better than calling them by the wrong name.
I FORGOT MY MEDICATION AGAIN!
Problem: You skip your daily dose. And it’s even harder if you take different meds at different time.
Solution: Set reminders on your smart phone. An alarm. Or a pillbox you can program with different time alarms. Try https://www.amazon.com/Deaco-Medicine-Reminder-Alarms-Without/dp/B00HLO981U/ref=ast_sto_dp_puis from Amazon.
I CAN’T FIND MY WAY THERE!
Problem: You always get lost — even going home. My husband calls me “the lost girl.”
Solution: GPS, navigation systems, or the Google app on your smart phone.
WHERE IS EVERYBODY?
Problem: It’s hard enough to keep your own schedule straight, no less remembering where everyone else is going.
Solution: Try a centralized household calendar. Use a different colored marker to write down each family member’s appointments, invitations, and travels.
I CAN’T FORGET TO DO THIS WHEN I GET HOME.
Problem: You’ve got something important on your mind or something you want to remember to do.
Solution: Send yourself a text. Call your answering machine and leave yourself a message. (If you have a land line.) Or, carry around a tiny hand-held tape recorder and say what you want to remember.
DID I TURN OFF THE COFFEE POT?
Problem: You can’t remember whether you turned off the stove, the coffeepot, an iron, or other appliance.
Solution: Set it and forget it. Try buying things with automatic shut-offs. That will take a load of your mind. Or, leave a reminder by the front door of what needs to be on, off, open, or shut.
WHERE’S MY CELL PHONE?
Problem: Your cell phone could be lurking anywhere. It’s just not where you think it should be.
Solution: Have someone call you and listen for that (loud volume) ring. Or always keep it on the same charger, so it’s charged, ready to go, and easy to find.
I CAN’T FIND MY CREDIT CARD.
Problem: It’s either at home (not likely), where you last used it (which, in my case, was 250 miles away), or stolen.
Solution: You can’t just snap your fingers and make it appear. But you can make copies of the front and back of all your credit cards (and driver’s license, while you’re at it) and store them in a secure folder where you can access the numbers, security codes, etc. in case you have to report a card lost or stolen. That goes for your passport too, if you have one.
WHERE DID THAT $100 GO?
Problem: Your money machine receipt is off $100. And not in your favor. That means next week, you’ll be living on fumes.
Solution: (I just figured this out when the above happened — not for the first time — to me.) Write down the withdrawal amount in your checkbook BEFORE you make your transaction. Then you can stick the money machine receipt in your checkbook, after. And don’t forget to put the card back in it’s slot when you put in your money.
I CAN’T GET ONTO A WEBSITE.
Problem: How is anyone supposed to remember all of those passwords? It’s impossible. Unless you assign yourself the same name and password to every website you use. And that puts you in danger of a security breach. A hacker’s heaven.
Solution: LastPass. The greatest invention since the post-it note. Set up an account and every time you go to a website for the first time, a little red box will pop up, asking if you want LastPass to remember this website.
Say “yes,” fill out your information with any kind of password you want (a combination of upper case, lower case, symbols and numbers is the most secure) and it’s all there for you. Click on the website name in your LastPass Vault and you’ll have instant access. After that, LastPass will automatically log you in. It’s a technological miracle! (Just don’t forget to write down your LastPass access code and put it in a safe place!) https://lastpass.com/
BONUS INFORMATION: THE SMART WATCHES
Although they’re not memory minders, you should know about new state-of-the-art devices for detecting seizures.
NEW! Apple Seizalarm — A user-friendly iPhone and Apple Watch app which allows those with epilepsy and other seizure disorders to alert emergency contacts automatically when seizure-like motion is detected or manually — if they need immediate help or think they might need help soon. Detects seizure-like motion, requests immediate help, seizure monitoring control, GPS location tracking, and event log tracking. http://seizalarm.com/
Embrace — Created to track your activity, stress and overall body balance, enabling people who live with epilepsy to get an alert when an unusual event happens such as a convulsive seizure, warning them and their loved ones. https://www.empatica.com/embrace2/ (Now known as the EpiMonitor, the new successor to Embrace.)
The InspyreTM By SmartMonitor — A motion detecting and alerting wristwatch that can detect seizures and alert caregivers within 7 to 10 seconds. http://www.smart-monitor.com/
For details and pricing information, please call 1-888-334-5045.
Epilepsy Detector Application — An accelerometer based mobile phone application that uses advanced signal processing to detect epileptic seizures. It runs on most mobile phones that support SMS messaging, movement detection and GPS position location. http://www.epdetect.com/
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Resources:
http://www.businessknowhow.com/manage/10memory.htm
https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/living-epilepsy/memory-and-epilepsy
Tags: epilepsy and memory, long-term memory, memory aids, Post-Its, reminders, short-term memory
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