A woman has shared the pivotal moment she realised she had dementia, the same diagnosis as actress Pauline Quirke.
News of Pauline's dementia diagnosis came to light in 2021, with the 'Birds of a Feather' star said to now be struggling to recognise people as her condition worsens. Her TV producer husband, Steven Sheen, has been open up about her diagnosis and, in January, announced his wife's retirement in a heartbreaking statement.
Now, Maurice Gran, who helped craft 'Birds of a Feather' alongside Laurence Marks, said Pauline is finding it tough to recognise her family. Maurice revealed, "Since the diagnosis, her condition has progressed. She's still only 65, so it's heartbreaking. Initially, she felt like she was losing her grip. Now, we understand she has trouble identifying her own family members."
One woman who has felt the emotional impact of the condition is Gail, having been diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer's at the age of 54 in 2019, reports the Daily Record. Gail, who lives with her spouse John, was diagnosed with dementia following a regular check-up at which a simple test uncovered her condition.
Gail shared her story on the My Life with Dementia podcast, explaining, "John noticed changes but John being a man sometimes tries to put them to one side and won't accept that there's changes and makes an excuse for something, which he did quite regularly."
She continued, "Until we went to the doctors and he did a simple test of 'can you draw me a clock face' and I couldn't do it. I'd never even thought about that at the time, I just couldn't get the numbers in the right place."
Gail also recalled how, during the appointment, they told her an address, and she wasn't able to repeat the entire thing, catching only bits and pieces due to her inability to retain information. It was at that moment, seeing the look on John's face, that she realised something was seriously wrong.
The NHS outlines multiple signs of dementia, which vary based on the particular type of disease someone has, as well as the area of the brain that's affected. Nonetheless, several consistent symptoms manifest across different cases.
These include:
The NHS describes initial symptoms as often mild, progressively getting worse over time - a stage referred to as "mild cognitive impairment" (MCI), which isn't severe enough for a dementia diagnosis. The NHS further notes that friends and family can overlook early indications or fail to consider them with the gravity they deserve for quite some time.
According to the NHS, doctors frequently conduct memory tests to determine if a patient may have dementia. Reciting an address, as Gail was asked to do, is a typical component of the General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition (GPCOG). While the test itself cannot definitively diagnose dementia, it can indicate to medical professionals whether further investigation is required. The test also includes tasks such as reading the time and drawing a clock face.
Doctors will also request a patient's medical history, including when symptoms first appeared, the NHS elaborates. Other diagnostic methods include blood tests and brain scans to identify potential signs of dementia. If you or someone you know is concerned about possible dementia, visit the NHS website or schedule a consultation with your GP.