You’re aging. You can’t recall names as fast as you used to. Are you getting dementia?

You know what terrifies me? When I struggle to pull up a name of a person I know or a place I visited or a book I read not long ago. I start to fret that I’m heading toward dementia.

But then I found Lisa Genova’s book “Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting.” She put my worst fears to rest.

Genova’s engaging book blends science with clear language to explain what memory is, how it works, and what we can do to improve it. Here are three ideas that I’ve begun to use and they work.

First, Genova argues that simply paying attention makes a huge difference. She uses several exercises to show that we really don’t pay as much attention as we might think. For instance, what’s on a Lincoln penny, as in which direction is he facing, and what’s written on it?

So just slowing down and paying attention can do wonders. That means listening without distractions, reading and taking notes, and having someone repeat an idea a different way, if I need to hear it again. I’m learning tennis, and it takes a few times to understand what the instructors are trying to teach me! (But I’m a slow learner).

Next, Genova claims that what she calls “tip of the tongue” (TOT) moments are common throughout life. That happens when you can’t recall what you wanted to find in the room you just entered, or a friend’s name, or the capital of Brazil.

As we age, this happens more often. Retrieval of information takes longer. But it’s not always a signal that we’re losing our memories. She says the information usually returns with time, if we just let time pass and don’t get anxious.

To help with that, I’ve started blaming “Joe” when memory fails me. If I’m in a conversation and the point I wanted to make leaves me, I say, “Joe took it. He just walked off with my idea. But he’ll bring it back.” And sure enough, one or five or 10 minutes later, the idea returns.

Sometimes, though, Joe returns at 3 a.m. He’s not my favorite guy at that hour of the morning.

Doing this has also made me aware of how many people, older and younger, lose their train of thought or jumble a name. I’ve told them about Joe so now we all just blame and keep going. Eventually, the idea returns.

A third idea from Genova’s book is to learn and move. I’ve always been a learner, mostly of knowledge, but not of skills, especially anything athletic. But in June, I became perhaps the oldest person in my hometown to take up tennis. I’m getting some exercise and having fun to boot.

Let’s hope my memory gets better as well.

Nancy Napier is a distinguished professor at Boise State University in Idaho. nnapier@boisestate.edu. She is co-author of “The Bridge Generation of Vietnam: Spanning Wartime to Boomtime.”

This story was originally published August 10, 2021 at 5:00 AM.