Ironically it's better NOT to be self-aware in this particular case.

LOL!  I beg to differ.  The awareness doesn't CAUSE the memory loss, and an awareness may allow you to do something about it....

Tina, I see:

The study shows it may be important to take a person’s awareness of memory problems into account during a cognitive assessment. It’s not all bad news though – if awareness of memory decline signals early dementia, further research may show ways in which the condition can be held off.

I didn't realize there were things we could do about it.

Yes, it seems there are clinically proven "brain fitness" methods, or even things that we can do on our own, such as taking on new challenges and skills, learning a language, etc.

Oh right, that's what the "Brain Age" videogames have been claiming for years.

Sounds like you're skeptical....

No, I just remembered that Brain Age has been telling me to keep doing brain exercises.

They're all about brain fitness.

Here's more on why the Brain Age games work:

http://brainage.nintendo.com/why-concentration-training/

They make sense in the context you gave, Tina.