Holiday gatherings can highlight subtle changes in a person with dementia even before an official diagnosis is made.
Opening gifts, eating Christmas dinner or talking about memories are all situations that can reveal changes in memory, behavior or mood.
“No longer being able to follow a well-known family recipe or repeating the same stories could be signs,” explains Dr Jeremy Isaacs, clinical director for dementia at the NHS, for the Daily Mail. Other symptoms include difficulty following and participating in conversations, confusion about time and place, and emotional changes like irritability. »
A disease that requires more attention
This initiative takes place in a context where dementia remains a major public health challenge. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 55 million people suffer from dementia worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease is responsible for 60 to 70% of cases.
In France, nearly 900,000 people are affected by the disease, with 225,000 new cases detected each year.
Across the Channel, Dr Tim Beanland, of the Alzheimer’s Society, insists: “Spending time together at Christmas often highlights the changes that can accompany dementia. Subtle changes in behavior or abilities may be more noticeable during these times. »
