Dementia Sufferers Waiting Months Before Seeking Help

Confusing symptoms with old age is main reason for delay

- LUCY SKOULDING

Almost a quarter of people with dementia symptoms waited more than six months before seeing a doctor, new research shows.

A survey for the Alzheimer's Society to mark Dementia Action Week also found one in three people who notice they or a loved one has symptoms keep their fears to themselves or dismiss them as old age. Just 15 per cent of the 1,137 people surveyed raised the issue straight away and 11 per cent said they hadn't raised concerns after first spotting symptoms.

Researchers questioned 18 to 85-year-olds including people living with diagnosed dementia, carers, those who are undiagnosed but think they may have dementia and people who suspect a loved one has it. Confusing dementia symptoms with normal ageing was the top reason people stayed silent (64 per cent). That was followed by not wanting to worry family members (33 per cent) and concerns about how their relationships might change (16 per cent).