'I'm a hospice nurse – there are six early signs of dementia families can miss'

'I'm a hospice nurse – there are six early signs of dementia families can miss' Hospice nurse Julie McFadden has opened up about how dementia is not just memory loss — and the content creator listed six early signs that families can often miss A hospice nurse with 16 years of experience has listed six signs of early dementia that can often be missed or overlooked by family members. Julie McFadden shares valuable information on her YouTube channel Hospice Nurse Julie where she regularly discusses end-of-life care. One of her most recent videos focused solely on dementia — a topic often discussed in the UK, especially since it was revealed actress Pauline Quirke’s was suffering from the condition. Her husband previously said the Birds of a Feather star was struggling to recognise faces she was once familiar with and the actress, who turns 66 today, has since taken a step back from public life. Julie meanwhile explained that there were various forms of dementia, from Alzheimer’s to frontotemporal dementia, and that spotting early signs can make a big difference. She explained that it doesn’t just affect memory and that a person’s thinking and decision making skills can be impacted too. However, she said if you catch it early, you can slow down its progression. 1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life She said the number one sign is memory loss that is affecting daily life — which is often the first thing people notice. However, she emphasised: “Please hear me when I say, this is not being forgetful. This is very different.” Giving examples, she said the first one was asking the same question over and over and over. Another was forgetting recent conversations completely, such as you making plans with a relative to go and have lunch. A third was someone you love not remembering appointments even with reminders. She said these all indicated short term memory loss which is one of the earliest signs of dementia. Concluding her first point, she said: “It’s really important to note that the person does not recognise that they aren’t remembering short term things —only the family is.” 2. Struggling with familiar tasks Julie said this second sign was “huge” and can be completely overlooked. She added: “So a great example of this would be not remembering how to make a meal that they’ve made for the last 30 years or suddenly they’re having trouble with the TV remote when they never used to or confusion paying bills.” These are tasks people should know how to do automatically from doing the same thing for years and if the brain suddenly is not able to carry the tasks out, Julie said it was a big red flag. 3. Confusion over time and place Your family member getting lost in a familiar setting they should know well can be another sign of dementia. Getting confused on dates and times is another indicator, so things like wearing jackets in summer or talking about relatives who are no longer alive. Julie said this was one of the more obvious signs and is easier to catch. 4. Language and communication changes The nurse said this one was “really important” and it can involve using the wrong word to describe something simple, like calling a blow dryer a remote. Losing track mid sentence consistently is another thing to note, especially if they not only get lost, but seem to go blank afterwards. Losing the sense of a word is another sign and it can involve someone struggling to think of the names of ordinary objects like a chair. This happens when the brain loses language pathways which can happen with people suffering from dementia. 5. Judgement lapses According to Julie, this one can feel scary for family members when they first notice it. It can be quite obvious, and it is when loved ones suddenly make poor judgement calls or have lapses in judgement. Listing examples, Julie said things like falling for money scams, giving money away or losing money while making odd financial decisions. Another sign could be poor hygiene where someone will suddenly stop showering as often or at all. She said it will be immediately noticeable, especially if they keep wearing the same clothes or stop doing laundry. 6. Personality changes The last example she provided was mood or personality changes and she said this can often be brushed off by family members. However, she said it can be early dementia, especially if they have “increased anxiety, increased irritability, seem more depressed or really withdrawn”. Suddenly becoming suspicious is another signal that something may not be right. She said people can become withdrawn when their brain changes because all of a sudden the world becomes more confusing and scary to them. Making an important distinction, she said the difference between normal ageing and normal forgetfulness is it’s not affecting your daily life. And in conclusion, she said: “Here’s what I’ll tell you, if you feel like something is off, it’s probably off. So get it checked out. It’s not going to hurt you any and early intervention is so important.” For more information about dementia symptoms, read the NHS' helpful advice page here.