Dementia is a disorder that affects how the brain works, and there can be a wide range of symptoms. Early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, include minor memory problems and difficulty saying the right words, and as the disease progresses symptoms can be confusion, personality changes and a major change in behaviour.
Dementia symptoms vary from person to person, but can include:
- Memory loss & disorientation Communication difficulties
- Wandering
- Failure to recognise people or objects
- Impaired comprehension, reasoning and judgment
- Loss of ability to learn or initiate
- Mood swings
- Dyspraxia: an impairment of the ability to organise movement, and sometimes also language, perception and thought
- Gradual failure to perform daily tasks such as shopping for and preparing food
- Hallucinations and delusions
People are often concerned about problems with memory, but on its own this is not necessarily an early sign of dementia, as it is also a normal part of ageing. People should see their GP if they are concerned about any of the above symptoms because if they are suffering from the early, mild stage of dementia, there are drug treatments (in the case of Alzheimer’s disease) and coping strategies that are more valuable if started as soon as possible.
Over 800.000 people in the UK have dementia
At present, many people are worried about seeing their GP, frightened about the stigma of, and future with, a diagnosis of dementia. However, a critical reason for getting a diagnosis is to gain access to support from local authorities. Without a diagnosis, such support – mainly provided by social services – is hard to obtain.