The NHS has highlighted some early warning signs of dementia that could appear in loved ones this Christmas as new figures show a shocking surge in diagnoses. NHS data revealed more people than ever before have a dementia diagnosis.
In November, 499,068 people in England were diagnosed with the devastating syndrome – an increase of 19,416 from the same time last year. The nation has one of the highest dementia diagnosis rates in the world.
As of November, 65.8 percent of people aged 65 or over who are estimated to have dementia had a recorded diagnosis.
For comparison, other high-income countries typically have a range of 20 to 50 percent.
England’s top dementia doctor emphasised that a timely diagnosis can mean patients and families can get the right support in place at an earlier stage.
Therefore, some of the common early symptoms of dementia that may appear first include:
- Emotional changes such as irritability
- Forgetfulness
- Struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
- Being confused about time and place.
Doctor Jeremy Isaacs, NHS England’s national clinical director for dementia, said: “Dementia often develops slowly and might not be apparent during a brief interaction, but with family and friends gathering at Christmas perhaps for the first time in months, there is an opportunity to spot the signs of this condition.
“There are lots of reasons why people might be forgetful or absent-minded at such a busy time of the year, but it could also be the sign that something is wrong.
“Issues that may not have been obvious previously such as forgetfulness, difficulty making plans, or word-finding problems can come to the surface or be easier to spot when families or friends across the country get together over the festive season.
“Thanks to patients and families coming forward, and the hard work of NHS staff, we have a record almost half a million people diagnosed with dementia, most of whom are living in their own homes with support from family and friends.
“Getting a diagnosis of dementia is the first step in supporting people, with a wide range of NHS services able to help.
“If you have noticed that someone has symptoms, please encourage them to visit their GP for an assessment – the sooner someone is seen the quicker the NHS can help.”
Former GP Dr Matthew Alexander, 79, from Rotherham was one of the thousands diagnosed with dementia this year. In an NHS release, he said: “I’m quite OK – it’s not something that I would wish on anybody but this diagnosis is a factual thing and I just have to live with it.”
His wife Sara, 73, commented: “I started getting worried because he was forgetting so many things. Being diagnosed has put my mind at rest knowing that we will receive the best care.
“The memory clinic has been extremely good and our nurse is very thoughtful saying if there’s any issue to get in touch and it’s great to know we’ve somewhere to go if we need advice.”
Dementia is a syndrome, or a group of associated symptoms, linked with the ongoing decline of the brain. Symptoms include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty concentrating
- Finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
- Struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
- Being confused about time and place
- Mood changes.
If you or someone you know experiences symptoms you should speak to a GP.
