Drivers across the country are being warned to not ignore a worrying symptom if that get behind the wheel - as it may be a sign of Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. Many families in Ireland have seen a loved one affected by the disease, which is one of the most common forms of dementia and it currently has no cure.
But the earlier that Alzherimer's is diagnosed, the more treatment options are available and the better the support options are for the patient. There are some signs of Alzheimer’s which are to be expected and others that may be surprising, the Mirror reports.
For people getting behind the wheel of a car, a symptom of Alzheimer's disease is for them having difficulty in remembering the way to a familiar location. And less known is that people suffering from the illness can find it hard to determine colour or contrast which can be noticed when driving.
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“For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer's. This may lead to difficulty with balance or trouble reading. They may also have problems judging distance and determining colour or contrast, causing issues with driving,” states the Alzheimer’s Association.
It adds that this shouldn’t be confused with vision changing due to cataracts as they get older.
Meanwhile, a new survey by the Alzheimer's Society in the UK revealed that only one in three people tell their doctors about themselves or a loved one experiencing dementia symptoms within the first month, with the majority remaining silent.
The poll of 1,100 people showed that many people stayed quiet because they weren’t certain which symptoms were dementia-like and which were just normal ageing.
“One in three people (33%) who notice symptoms of dementia in themselves or a loved one keep their fears to themselves for over a month,” the charity said.
According to the survey, only 15% of people addressed the issue straight away, while 11% said they still haven’t raised their concerns after spotting the first symptom.
Resident doctor on ITV's Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, Dr Amir Khan, said: “A third of us will go on to develop dementia in our lifetimes – we need to change the idea that getting dementia is inevitable as we age - it’s not called getting old - it’s called getting ill."
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