Dementia cases have risen over the last year. According to the NHS, there are more cases than ever of dementia with 499,068 people with a diagnosis as of this November, which is 19,416 higher than last year. While England has one of the highest dementia diagnosis rates in the world at 65.8%, the NHS aims to increase the number of early diagnoses so relevant help and support can be accessed as early as possible.
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Dr Jeremy Isaacs, NHS England national clinical director for dementia said: ‘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.’
The holidays may be the best time to spot symptoms of dementia amongst family and friends. According to the NHS, common early symptoms that can easily be ignored are emotional changes such as irritability, forgetfulness, struggling to follow a conversation or being confused about time and place. Symptoms may be difficult to immediately discern during brief interactions, however while ‘gathering at Christmas perhaps for the first time in months, there is an opportunity to spot the signs of this condition,’ said Dr Isaacs.
‘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.’