CHRISTMAS can be a good time to spot signs of dementia in a loved one.
The festive season often brings changes in routine, larger family gatherings, and more stimulating environments, which can highlight potential early signs of dementia that would otherwise go unnoticed in daily life.
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And it’s important to still be on the lookout for symptoms at this time of year, as spotting symptoms early means earlier diagnosis – which means access to treatment, the right support, and the opportunity to plan for the future.
To know exactly what to look out for this Christmas, Dr Johannes Uys, a doctor at Broadgate GP, and Katie Puckering, information services manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, shared their expertise.
Memory lapses
Memory loss is a well-known and common early sign of dementia.
Christmas Day may bring out symptoms like memory lapses beyond forgetting a gift, says Dr Uys.
Giving an example, he says: “Perhaps a loved one doesn’t recognise family members or struggles to recall events.”
Katie adds: “Forgetting family traditions might come later on in dementia when their longer term memory is affected.”
Reduced organisational skills
Throughout the festive season, reduced organisational skills might be noticeable.
Dr Uys advises: “Preparing for guests or choosing presents may overwhelm someone who previously excelled in these tasks.”
Katie says: “You might get the wrong Christmas card – you might get one that was meant for somebody else, or they might have mixed it up when they’ve written the address. That can be a really common symptom.”
Differences in handwriting
The way we communicate in both spoken and written can change in the early stages of dementia.
Katie advises: “With Alzheimer’s disease you might notice their handwriting is really shaky, because some people develop a tremor in the early stages.
“Or you might experience things like they’ve not written a normal message. It depends what they would normally write.”
Changes in conversation at the dinner table
At Christmas dinner you should listen for changes in conversation, says Dr Uys – someone with early dementia might repeat themselves often or struggle with conversation flow.
Katie elaborates: “Repeating oneself is a really common one – they might be having a conversation around the table and that person might ask the same question or might miss the topic of the conversation because they’ve struggled to follow along with the conversation.
“That can make someone withdraw from the conversation, so you might notice that that person’s being a bit more withdrawn and doesn’t really want to engage in the conversation.”
Dr Uys notes other signs to look out for around the dinner table: “They might also mix up routine tasks like setting the table or misplace items such as cutlery.
“The dinner table, usually a hub of social interaction, may become a silent struggle if dementia is setting in.”
Mood changes
Mood changes can be significant, says Dr Uys: ” A once sociable person withdrawing from gatherings should not be ignored. It’s vital to remember that these signs may appear subtly.”
Katie adds: “Agitation or anger usually occurs because somebody’s symptoms are causing them confusion and upset.
“Some people will react to that and snap at people – they can be quite key early signs.
“A change in somebody’s behaviour, very different from what they would normally be like, especially with that agitation and anger – that can be an early sign as well.”
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Confusion over time of day
When there are changes throughout that day that aren’t normal or part of someone’s normal routine, such as eating a big meal at 2 or 3 o’clock in the afternoon, it could be disorientating for someone in the early stages of dementia.
Katie says: “They can become quite withdrawn or ask questions again around when food is, when dinner is, or why dinner is happening now, particularly when they’re used to just having a sandwich at midday.
“Also because it’s winter, the days are shorter and it’s darker earlier, and that can be really disorientating.
“It might be that they think it’s later on in the day than it is. If you have Christmas dinner later on then by the time you finish it’s going to be dark, they might then think it’s later on in the day than it actually is.”
What to do if you think a loved one has dementia
If you notice any symptoms in loved ones the best thing to do is to speak with them honestly and openly about what you’re noticing, says Katie.
She explains: “It might be somebody you don’t spend that much time with, it could be an aunt or an uncle, or some people don’t see their grandparents that often if they live further away.
“It can be difficult then to know if that was an off day, they weren’t feeling very well, or how long this has been affecting them.
“It’s really worthwhile having a conversation with family as well, and a conversation with people who do know that person well and who see them regularly just to find out how severe symptoms are or how often they’re affecting the person, then getting them to see their GP as soon as possible
“There’s lots of reasons why somebody would have dementia-like symptoms, it’s not always dementia and the GP does need to rule out other conditions – thyroid disorders, vitamin deficiencies, they’re all fairly common conditions that affect people, and the GP will rule these out with a blood test and urine test first.
“Don’t delay as a diagnosis comes with benefits, access to treatment, the right support, and in the early stages you get to decide your own plans around your own care and things like wills.”
Contact Alzheimer’s Research UK’s info line to find out how to speak to someone if you think they’ve got dementia – call 0300 111 5 111 or email [email protected].
Is it ageing or dementia?
Dementia – the most common form of which is Alzheimer’s – comes on slowly over time.
As the disease progresses, symptoms can become more severe.
But at the beginning, the symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for normal memory issues related to ageing.
The US National Institute on Aging gives some examples of what is considered normal forgetfulness in old age, and dementia disease.
You can refer to these above.
For example, it is normal for an ageing person to forget which word to use from time-to-time, but difficulting having conversation would be more indicative of dementia.
Katie Puckering, Head of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Information Services team, previously told The Sun: “We quite commonly as humans put our car keys somewhere out of the ordinary and it takes longer for us to find them.
“As you get older, it takes longer for you to recall, or you really have to think; What was I doing? Where was I? What distracted me? Was it that I had to let the dog out? And then you find the keys by the back door.
“That process of retrieving the information is just a bit slower in people as they age.
“In dementia, someone may not be able to recall that information and what they did when they came into the house.
“What may also happen is they might put it somewhere it really doesn’t belong. For example, rather than putting the milk back in the fridge, they put the kettle in the fridge.”
Dementia diagnoses in England soaring
The NHS is urging people to look out for dementia symptoms as new data shows more people than ever before have a dementia diagnosis.
November figures showed 499,068 people in England have received a dementia diagnosis – a jump of 19,416 in a year.
England has one of the highest dementia diagnosis rates in the world.
As of November, 65.8 per cent of people aged 65 or over who are estimated to have dementia had a recorded diagnosis.
High-income countries are typically in the range of 20 to 50 per cent.
While dementia diagnosis rates are the highest since the start of the pandemic at 65.8 per cent, the NHS is working hard to meet its ambition to diagnose 66.7 per cent of the total number of people living with the disease.
Dr Jeremy Isaacs, NHS England 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.”
Jennifer Keen, Head of Policy at Alzheimer’s Society, added: “Around one million people are living with dementia in the UK. Christmas should be a happy time when families often get together. But sadly, for some people it will be the first time they notice changes in their loved ones showing signs of dementia.
“A third of people living with dementia in England don’t have a diagnosis. Getting a diagnosis can be daunting but we believe it’s better to know. An early and accurate diagnosis can open the door to vital care, support and treatment. It can also help people to manage their symptoms and avoid ending up in crisis.
“We welcome the drive to ensure more people get a dementia diagnosis and the lifechanging help they need. We must maintain the progress that’s been made by sharing best practice across the country and raising awareness of the many benefits a diagnosis can bring to everyone living with dementia.
“If you’re worried about yourself or a loved one, speak to your GP about your concerns. Alzheimer’s Society has a free simple symptom checklist to help alzheimers.org.uk/checklist.”
