Around one million people are living with dementia in the UK – these are the symptoms to watch for
A dementia expert has shared the signs and symptoms of people should watch for. Around one million people are living with dementia in the UK, but a third do not have a diagnosis.
Hollie Wynde from Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Support Line has broken down what people need to know about dementia. This Dementia Action Week (19-25 May), Alzheimer’s Society encouraging people to seek help if they spot these signs in themselves or a loved one.
Dementia is a group of symptoms and is caused by different diseases that damage the brain. It is progressive, which means symptoms may be relatively mild at first, but they get worse over time.
It can affect memory, problems with language and understanding, changes in behaviour and lead to confusion and needing help with daily tasks. Dementia is not a natural part of ageing and is caused when nerve cells in the brain are damaged.
Nerve cells carry messages between different parts of the brain, and to other parts of the body. As more nerve cells are damaged, the brain becomes less able to work properly.
Dementia can be caused by many different diseases. These diseases affect the brain in different ways, resulting in different types of dementia. Lifestyle, age, genetics and overall health all play a role.
Signs and symptoms of dementia
According to Hollie, different types of dementia affect people differently, especially in the early stages. There are, however, some common early signs and symptoms of dementia. Hollie says these include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty organising thoughts or staying focused
- Problems using words or communicating
- Problems with vision
- Getting confused about where you are or what time it is
- Changes in mood or personality
People often start to forget things more as they get older, but for someone with dementia, changes will be different, more serious and will affect their life more. If you’re worried about yourself, or someone close to you, you can check your symptoms using Alzheimer’s Society’s symptom checklist.
What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia?
There are over 200 subtypes of dementia, but Alzheimer’s disease is the most common. Around two out of three people living with dementia in the UK have Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease starts in the brain for years before symptoms start to show. Early symptoms are mild and don’t stop someone doing their normal everyday activities. When symptoms progress later, this is when it becomes severe enough to be called ‘dementia’.