Misplaced your keys again? Blanked on a name mid-conversation? For many people—especially as they cross into their 50s and 60s—these moments spark a quiet, immediate fear: is this the beginning of dementia? Here's the reassuring truth: most forgetfulness is not dementia. But that doesn't mean it should be brushed aside either. The right response isn't panic, and it isn't denial—it's evaluation. Forgetting Is Normal. Here's Why. Our brains aren't built to store every detail pe