Any other caregivers out there who are experiencing cognitive decline?

Stress, grief and simply aging can affect memory. The concern is not "where did i put my keys" and you find them in bottom of purse...but "why are my keys in the freezer"?

When weird memory issues start, get checked...

I’ve felt the same. I know it’s a possibility since my father also went into dementia during this same decade of my life, however I’m also suspecting that it can be from the stress and grief that can come with this job. It can be “secondary post traumatic stress disorder”.

Over the last couple of years I have said often, only half joking, that every time I talk to my mom I get Alzheimer’s too. I think it’s the stress combined with the natural fear that some day I may in fact start losing my faculties.

If you’re worried that you’re actually experiencing cognitive decline of course set up an appointment with your doctor to discuss. I just really related to the feeling that as my mom loses her memory she’s taking mine with it.

As a spouse caregiver for past 6 years I've noticed similar experiences. I've chalked it up to not being in the workforce any longer as a software development engineer, to changing bed sheets and moping bathroom floors.
In other words, lack of stimulation living and caring for someone with cognitive injury for so long.
There are 'Brain Games available for smartphones and old school books. I try to stay mentally active as much as possible. Try to find free phone apps geared to exercising congestive ability.

Stress causes all that too

Here is a section of my book "Dementia Care Companion" about caring for the caregiver. I hope this helps.

Staying Healthy
Most caregivers experience anxiety, guilt, and depression. Don’t think that you can provide perfect care, that you have to do everything on your own, or that no one can do a decent job of caring for your loved one other than you.
While you care for a loved one with dementia, you may have to take care of other commitments as well, such as a career and a family of your own. Shopping, cooking, cleaning, and other mundane demands of life will be there to fill up every available moment of every day. As you rush to look after everyone else in the family, remember that it is often the main pillar in a structure that needs the most careful maintenance.
·      Don’t take your health for granted. Even if you do not have any known health issues, visit your family doctor at least once a year and take care of all of your periodic health screenings.
·      Listen to your body. Take any health warnings seriously. Watch for excessive fatigue, sleep problems, behavioral changes such as anger and impatience, changes in appetite, or unexplained weight gain or loss.
·      Take care of your mental and emotional well-being. Relax, practice deep breathing, and meditate regularly. Consult with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or social worker when necessary.
Get Enough SleepEmpty heading
Dementia often means disrupted sleep patterns for the patient and their caregiver. Inadequate sleep impairs the caregiver’s ability to handle the stresses of the day, and makes the caregiver more susceptible to depression and burnout.
·      Try to recharge with a short nap during the day. When scheduling a nap in the patient’s daily routine, schedule one for yourself too.
·      Even if you cannot fall asleep during the day, sit or lie down for a few minutes and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and let your mind relax. Focus on your breathing and try to relax the frown on your forehead. Five to ten minutes of meditation may be what gets you through the next hump in the day. 
Have a Healthy DietEmpty heading
Plan a balanced diet for both you and the patient. Try the Mediterranean diet rich in legumes, vegetables, fruits, fish, olive oil, walnuts, and almonds. Reduce consumption of fast foods.
Make Time for ExerciseEmpty heading
It may be hard to appreciate the importance of exercise when you’re exhausted all the time. However, exercise is a great way to take a break from the demands of caregiving and flush out the toxic effects of stress. Exercise also helps reset your mood and give you a renewed sense of purpose and motivation.
·      Have friends and family take over caring for the patient for a couple of hours so you can take a break and go for a walk or do some other exercise or relaxing activity.
·      During the early stage of dementia, while you still can, exercise with the patient. Take them for a walk in the park, go on bicycle rides, or go shopping together. Arrange activities for the patient in ways that enable you to participate along with them.
·      Fit a little bit of exercise here and a little there. When an opportunity presents itself, do some stretching and light exercise to relax and calm down. When the patient takes a nap or is watching TV, use the opportunity to do some stretching or yoga.
·      When putting together daily and weekly plans for the patient, do not forget to factor in exercise, rest, and recovery for yourself as well. Your planned schedule should correlate with the patient’s, so you know, for example, that when the patient is taking a nap, it is time for you to do some meditation.
Stay Socially ConnectedEmpty heading
Meaningful social connections are essential for healthy living. They’re even more important if you’re under a lot of stress.
·      Watch for creeping isolation. When caring for a loved one with dementia, you’ll find that friends and acquaintances tend to drift away and lose cont

Those could be normal memory challenges. I feel as we age, our brains have learned so much and taken in so much information, that it's like trying to find a file on a desk piled high with files.

I had an experience with brain fog in my mid 30's. I would be in the grocery store and couldn't remember what I was there for. No list, I only needed a couple items, and I would be overcome with panic as I tried hard to think why I was there. I paid a couple bills late, or forgot to pay them. I said that I felt like I was losing my mind. Then one day after a lunch with co-workers, sitting at my desk, I felt like I was drunk and couldn't focus. We hadn't had any alcohol. The food was making me drunk.
I learned these symptoms were caused by excessive yeast in the body. You can also experience symptoms from environmental mold growth. A doctor gave me a probiotic to take for a month (this was before I had ever heard of probiotics) and it cleared right up!

Every so often, I will feel this brain fog coming on again, a dizzyness after eating, and I make sure to add probiotics to my regimen of supplements.

People talk about "grief brain" and I certainly believe in it, but it felt like my cognition improved noticeably when the stress of caregiving was over. I think one of the best things you can do is to make sure that you have respite on a regular basis(and I don't mean a half hour here or there).

You're not alone!

I just spent a weekend with friends we've known for a very long time (40+ yrs). They are slightly older than me (so, 68-73 range). My hubs and I still work PT in our branding/marketing business and my friend is still a mostly FT private financial advisor to docs, lawyers and CEOs, his wife is a retired cardiac nurse. During this weekend I noticed that all of us at one point could not come up with a certain word. On more than 1 occasion. We just roll our eyes and shake our heads... and help each other "guess" the missing word. It's like a game now. This is normal and you cannot control it by "better living". You can certainly make it worse by "bad living" but in the end we don't have control over it.

Yesterday I had coffee with good friend. She manages multiple ministries and responsibilities at our church, and in her personal life. She ran the HR department for Target Store. She's the most amazing and capable person I know. Yet at our coffee time, she too could not come up with a word or two during our conversation. She reads tons of books and plays Sudoku and crossword puzzles. Again, all we can do is shake our heads and help each other guess the word.

Yes it is called PTSD . PTSD can cause memory loss , Panic attacks , exhaustion , fight or Flight syndrome . You are just worn Down . people forget caregivers suffer as much as the Ill Person . take care of yourself - Find a Community acupuncture clinic to help you with your stress and your brain .