Q. My mom is senile, and it's getting worse. What's good for memory?

A. Dementia or Alzheimer's disease leads to memory loss and inability to do things like shopping and bathing. The brain is like a damaged circuit board — sometimes the circuits connect, sometimes they don't. So it's not true that your mom could remember if she "really tried."

Anxiety, aggression or suspiciousness can occur. Behavioral problems can sometimes be traced to drugs that can cause confusion or drowsiness, or from sensory overload such as music during conversation or too many people around. So think about what was going on just before an outburst. Was there too much noise?

Sometimes simply getting vision or hearing corrected will improve behavior. Sudden confusion could be from something like a urine infection, constipation or dehydration, so tell the doctor.

Things like getting dressed or brushing teeth are actually very complex. Breaking down a task into smaller steps to be done one at a time may be needed. You may even have to do the first few steps of the task to get the person started, and eventually may have to do most of the steps yourself.

When folks start having trouble with traffic signals, lane changing, or reacting quickly in situations, they are a danger to both themselves and others and must stop driving. Call the Alzheimer's Association (591-2771) for hints on getting people to stop driving, ideas on dealing with other issues (such as wandering) and for Alzheimer's support groups. One suggestion is to ask her doctor to write mom a "do not drive" prescription. And read "The 36-Hour Day," a wonderful book by Nancy Mace and Peter Rabins.

Drugs like Aricept and Galantamine may help memory and function a bit, but may cause dizziness or drowsiness, and are not cures.

Looking at only the most reliable studies — randomized trials — the Cochrane group found no convincing evidence that gingko biloba is effective for dementia or cognitive impairment. It likewise found little benefit from selegiline, lecithin or vitamin E, and actually found that vitamin E increased the risk of falls.

Some of the same factors that trigger heart disease — obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure — also increase the risk of senility, so get your own numbers checked, and don't shy from using appropriate medications if a few months of lifestyle changes don't improve things enough.