As November, National Alzheimer’s Awareness month, draws to a close, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is reminding people that active medical management can improve the quality of life for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers.

In many ways, our memories shape who we are. They make up our internal biographies — the stories we tell ourselves about what we've done with our lives. They tell us who we're connected to, who we've touched during our lives, and who has touched us. In short, our memories are crucial to the essence of who we are as human beings.

According to the latest edition of Harvard Medical College’s HealthBeat newsletter, it’s normal to forget things from time to time, and it’s normal to become somewhat more forgetful as you age.