Dear Amy: My husband and I are in our 70′s.

We and most of our friends are a little forgetful.

However, we have one friend who will ask the same question several times during a conversation.

For example, the friend will ask about the health of a mutual friend, and then two minutes later might ask basically the same question again.

This is just one example of many during a conversation.

My question is this: Should we just smile and repeat our answer, or should we tell our friend we are worried because they seem to be getting very forgetful.

Is there another solution?

– E

Dear E: If your friend has a partner or family member nearby, you should reach out and report your concern. A person with an intimate tie to your friend should accompany them for a checkup and assessment.

In the moment, you should deal with repeated questions by marshaling your patience and answering the question again. Nudging the person by stating, “You’ve already asked that; don’t you remember?” could bring on further confusion.

You can email Amy Dickinson at [email protected] or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068.