Families are being urged to look out for symptoms of dementia this Christmas, and one is particularly prevalent while making Christmas dinner – which can be challenging at the best of times
Christmas is for some families one of the only times they all come together to spend quality time together – children, parents and grandparents alike.
And with the number of people living with dementia increasing each year, people are being encouraged to check on their loved ones this Christmas. More than 944,000 people in the UK have dementia, a syndrome associated with ongoing decline of brain functioning, but it’s estimated that by 2030 the number will be closer to one million.
While there is currently no cure for dementia, early detection is still key, as a diagnosis means its progress can be slowed down in some cases. And the right treatment and support can help support them and their families.
Over Christmas there are a number of behaviours you could look out for – but especially while making Christmas dinner. Cooking a roast dinner isn’t an easy task – and there’ll be lots of elements to keep track of.
From chopping vegetables, to monitoring how long the turkey has been in the oven, there are plenty of things that might slip your mind. But according to health professionals, being forgetful is also a sign of dementia, and could signal it’s time to see the GP.
In a report published by NHS England in 2017, Professor Alistair Burns, who was the National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older People’s Mental Health at the time, put together a list of dementia symptoms to look out for as families get together to celebrate the festive period together. He said: “Something as simple as forgetting to put the oven on for the Christmas turkey may be a warning that a loved one is experiencing the early stages of dementia.”
Professor Burns said “complex tasks such as cooking a big Christmas dinner for a large number of people” can make it easy for things to slip from memory for those with dementia, and you may also find that they do things such as forgetting to put the sprouts on or cooking items in the wrong order.
In a video on TikTok, Alzheimer’s Research UK also shared some signs of dementia you might notice over the festive period. Back in 2023, Katie from the infoline team shared their Santa Forgot film, which includes some of the signs of dementia you might spot over Christmas.
In the film, Katie explained that you see Santa mixing up and muddling where the presents are meant to be. She continued: “We might see signs and symptoms of dementia like this in our loved ones at Christmas. They might put the wrong tags on the presents, or might get disorientated in familiar places, like someone’s house.”
According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, other early signs of Alzheimer’s may include:
- Memory loss (forgetting recent events, names, faces and recently learned information)
- Being increasingly repetitive
- Misplacing things
- Confusion
- Disorientation
- Language (problems with finding the right words or understanding the meaning of words)
- Mood and behaviour (low mood, anxious or agitated)
If you think you or a loved one may have dementia, speak to your GP. If you have questions about symptoms or getting a diagnosis you can contact Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Dementia Research Infoline on 0300 111 5111 or infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org.
