To mark this year’s Dementia Action Week, Alzheimer’s Society are drawing attention to the most unknown, yet most common, symptoms of dementia.
The phrase ‘to be seen is to be heard’ beautifully captures the tone of this year’s Dementia Awareness Week – an event that started today (Monday 19th May).
Founded by the Alzheimer’s Society in 2018, the campaign sees policymakers and experts work to raise awareness for dementia and show that it much more than a disease that simply causes memory loss.
Against this backdrop, the theme of this year’s initiative centres around early diagnosis and detailing the unknown symptoms of dementia that are, typically, the most common signs. After all, if we want dementia patients to feel heard – whether this is by doctors, nurses or those closet to them – they should feel confident speaking up about their symptoms, no matter how big or small.
Arguably, this theme couldn’t have come at a better time. The latest report from Alzheimer’s Society suggest around one million people are currently living with dementia in the UK and a third do not yet have a diagnosis. What’s more, the research also displayed one in ten could not name a single common symptom associated with the illness.
It’s a well-known fact that dementia causes memory loss, however experts from the charity have also warned the disease can affect people’s vision. Dementia damages the parts of the brain involved in processing information from the eyes which can lead to problems judging distances, making out objects or reading large text fonts.
Meanwhile, the research also discovered less than two-thirds of respondents knew dementia can cause problems with communication (61%) or mood changes (64%).
Steve Howe, a 60-year-old man from Darlington, whose wife Leigh has Alzheimer’s disease, has spoken up about his story and outlined the importance of catching the disease early if you can.
‘Leigh started experiencing vision problems when she was just 57,’ Steve said. ‘Some days her eyesight was fine and others she couldn’t see at all. It took over three years and a serious accident before we received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
‘By then, the condition had likely been developing for around eight years, and we missed the opportunity to use treatments that could have helped slow its progress. It’s crucial that people understand vision loss can be a symptom of dementia, as early diagnosis is key to getting the support and treatment that can make a real difference.’
On the subject of dementia treatments, the last year has proven difficult to access one in particular. In 2024 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave the greenlight to a drug called lecanemab which was found to slow the effects of Alzheimer’s. However, the UK’s health regulator announced it won’t be available through the NHS.
Corinne Mills, Interim CEO of Alzheimer’s Society added: ‘This Dementia Action Week, we’re highlighting the six most common symptoms of dementia and encouraging anyone with concerns to use our free symptoms checklist and seek help from their GP or other health professional.’
‘More than a third of people with dementia don’t have a diagnosis, meaning they’re missing out on the vital care, support and treatment they need,’ she continued. ‘But it doesn’t have to be this way. We understand that getting a diagnosis is daunting, but we believe it’s better to know.’
According to the charity, the six most common side-effects of dementia include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty organising thoughts
- Problems using words or communicating
- Vision problems
- Getting confused about time or place
- Frequent mood swings or changes in personality
More information about Dementia Action Week, including ways to get involved, can be accessed here.
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