DEMENTIA Action Week 2022, run by the Alzheimer’s Society, is an awareness week to encourage people to ‘act on dementia’.

This year’s theme is diagnosis.

This Dementia Action Week, the Alzheimer’s Society will be encouraging those who are concerned they or a loved one may be experiencing signs of dementia to seek support and guidance.

There are currently around 900,000 people with dementia in the UK. This number is expected to rise sharply in the coming years. Dementia can affect a person at any age, but it is more commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 65 years, with the condition affecting 1 in 6 people over the age of 80.

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If somebody develops dementia before the age of 65, they are described as having 'young onset' dementia.

Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of progressive conditions that affect the brain. There are over 200 subtypes of dementia, and it can also be a secondary condition of another disease, such as Parkinsons.

The most common types of dementia are Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.

Regardless of which type of dementia is diagnosed and what part of the brain is affected, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way.

Signs that could indicate a person has Dementia

  • Memory problems - people with dementia might have problems retaining new information. They might get lost in previously familiar places and may struggle with names. Relatives might notice the person seems increasingly forgetful, misplacing things regularly.
  • Cognitive ability - people with dementia may have difficulty processing information. This could be their perception of time or a place, for example, getting up in the middle of the night to go to work, even though they’re retired. Also, their concentration could be affected. There may be a difficulty when shopping with choosing the items and then paying for them. For some people the ability to reason and make decisions may also be affected. Some may get a sense of restlessness and prefer to keep moving than sit still; others may be reluctant to take part in activities they used to enjoy.
  • Communication - people with dementia may repeat themselves often or have difficulty finding the right words. Reading and writing might become challenging.
  • Changes in behaviour - they might experience changes in personality, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. They can lose interest in seeing others socially. Following and engaging in conversation can be difficult and tiring, and so a formerly outgoing person might become quieter and more introverted. Their self-confidence might also be affected.
  • Differences engaging with their surroundings – people with dementia can experience changes in vision and hearing as their brain processes information in a different way. People can view everyday items in their home and in the outside world in a different way such as walking round the rug in the living rooms, becoming hesitant getting into the car, being apprehensive stepping off the kerb. Some people can find noisy places very disturbing and can find it challenging to participating in large group conversations.

Everybody assumes the first sign of dementia is memory loss, but this not always the case. The other signs described above can change earlier.

The changes can be intermittent and vary in their severity. People living with dementia can often describe a feeling of mist coming over them and then lifting.

These symptoms of dementia gradually get worse over time. How quickly this happens varies from person to person and some people stay independent for years.

If you or your loved one are showing symptoms associated with dementia it is important to contact your GP.

There are many conditions that have similar symptoms to dementia, including, infections, thyroid problems, vitamin B12 deficiency, sleep apnoea, stress, anxiety, and depression.

Dementia Diagnosis and Next Steps 

To establish if dementia is present, a GP will take a medical and family history of the person and will screen them for mental health and cognitive issues by asking questions, testing concentration, short term memory, mood, and behaviour changes.

The GP may then request blood tests, an MRI or CT scan to examine the structure of the brain or request a chest X-ray to check for any chest conditions. They may also refer the person to a memory service/clinic, or to a specialist for further investigation and assessment.

If a diagnosis of dementia is given, the GP should then ensure that the person with the diagnosis and their family are made aware of any specialist advice and support services in their area, as well as referring them for further assessments and treatments that may help.

For more information you can call the Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email helpline@dementiauk.org.

Being diagnosed with dementia can understandably cause distress and a feeling of hopelessness, and some people may feel anxious or depressed. It may be that the person is finding it difficult to adjust emotionally. Equally, the dementia changes happening in the brain can make it difficult to control their emotions.

Support & Sources of Information

  • NHS
  • Dementia UK
  • Alzheimer’s Association
  • Alzheimer’s research UK
  • Age UK
  • Carers UK
  • Citizen Advice
  • Mind for You

Visit the Alzheimer’s Society website for more details on Dementia Action Week.

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