Only one in three people tell their doctors about experiencing dementia symptoms within the first month, according to a new survey by the Alzheimer's Society. This can impact how quickly people receive help and treatments for the condition.
The poll further found that people stayed quiet because they could not tell which symptoms were dementia-like or which were just normal ageing, as reported by The Mirror. Experts hypothesized the reason most stay quiet is to avoid worrying their loved ones or seeming old to family members, but instead, the fine line between early dementia symptoms and simple ageing is quite blurred.
The survey stated that "one in three people (33 per cent) who notice symptoms of dementia in themselves or a loved one keep their fears to themselves for over a month. Only 15 percent raised the issue straight away, according to the survey, and 11 percent still did not share their worries after spotting the first symptom.
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This delay is having a knock-on impact on how soon people are able to get help, as 23 percent waited more than six months before they spoke to a medical professional. It's easy to miss the signs of dementia - which often look like hearing loss, inattention, and forgetfulness - and dismiss them as regular signs of ageing.
Last May, Bruce Willis' daughter penned an op-ed in Vogue, where she admits the entire family ignored the actor's symptoms, assuming he simply had hearing damage from Die Hard or simply took his "unresponsiveness" personally.
“I’ve known that something was wrong for a long time,” Tallulah Willis confessed, adding that family members would often encourage each other to "'speak up! Die Hard messed with Dad’s ears."
“Later, that unresponsiveness broadened, and I sometimes took it personally,” Willis wrote.
Besides the confusion with ageing, 16 percent of those taking the survey admitted they were avoiding a diagnosis because they were worried about how their personal relationships would change, and 44 percent of individuals said they were concerned their caretakers or family members would begin to "talk down" to them.
Dementia symptoms to look out for
The National Institute on Aging released this list of symptoms of dementia:
- Asking the same question repeatedly
- Having trouble following directions like recipes
- Getting lost in a place you know well
- Becoming increasingly more confused about time, places, and people
- Not taking care of yourself, including eating poorly, forgetting to bathe or shower, or acting in an unsafe manner
If you or a family member are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should immediately contact a doctor. Occasionally misplacing items or being forgetful is normal, but repeated experiences like these are noteworthy and deserve the correct medical attention.
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