There are many reasons a person can have memory problems and they are not all due to Alzheimer's disease. Some causes may even be reversible. The most important thing to do is to have your mother get a medical evaluation from a physician with expertise in geriatric assessment.

In many cities, there are memory disorder clinics associated with major medical centers. If such services are not available, you could contact a board-certified geriatrician. Ask your primary care physician for a referral, if necessary. If your mother does have a progressive dementia, you will need information about the disease, how it progresses, and how a family can cope with changes as the disease progresses. Your local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association has many educational and supportive resources for families of a person with Alzheimer's.

For more information on memory loss, visit: http://www.extension.org/pages/Memory_Loss. You may also find information about Alzheimer's disease at http://www.extension.org/pages/Caring_for_Someone_with_Alzheimers_Disease.