Dementia is a term that describes a range of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, and social abilities to the point where they interfere with daily life. While occasional forgetfulness is a normal part of aging, persistent and progressive cognitive decline may signal a more serious issue, such as Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia.
Understanding when to seek a dementia assessment is crucial for early intervention and preventative measures.
Recognising Early Warning Signs
Dementia often begins with subtle changes that are easy to dismiss as normal aging or stress. Some key early signs include:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life, such as forgetting recently learned information or important dates.
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks, like managing finances or following a recipe.
- Confusion about time or place, such as getting lost in familiar locations.
- Language problems, such as trouble finding words or following conversations.
- Poor judgment, including uncharacteristic financial decisions.
- Changes in mood or personality, such as increased anxiety, depression, or withdrawal from social activities.
If you or a loved one are experiencing one or more of these symptoms consistently, it’s time to consider a dementia assessment.
Why Early Assessment Matters
An early dementia assessment provides several benefits, including:
- Access to Early Treatment
While there is no cure for dementia, treatments like memantine and cholinesterase inhibitors are two common drugs used to treat dementia symptoms. To improve brain health and enhance the quality of life for individuals with dementia, non-pharmacological interventions including cognitive therapies and lifestyle changes can also be extremely important. - Improved Planning
Early diagnosis allows individuals and families to make informed decisions about future care, legal matters, and financial planning while the person can still actively participate. - Preventative Opportunities
If the assessment reveals mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which can precede dementia, individuals can take preventative actions to slow or potentially prevent further decline.
Preventative Measures Before and After Assessment
Although age and genetics are significant risk factors for dementia, lifestyle plays a crucial role in prevention. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends several evidence-based strategies:
- Stay Physically Active
Regular physical exercise, such as walking, swimming, or strength training, improves blood flow to the brain and promotes overall brain health. Studies show that consistent activity can reduce the risk of dementia by around 30%. - Adopt a Brain-Healthy Diet
Diets like the Mediterranean or DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, have been associated with lower dementia risk. Foods like fatty fish, nuts, and leafy greens are particularly beneficial. - Keep Your Mind Active
Engaging in activities like puzzles, reading, learning a new skill, or playing musical instruments strengthens cognitive reserves and delays cognitive decline. - Prioritise Sleep
Poor sleep is linked to the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Aim for 7–8 hours of quality sleep each night. - Manage Chronic Conditions
Conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol are linked to an increased risk of dementia. Managing these conditions with regular medical checkups, medications, and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce this risk. - Stay Socially Connected
Isolation increases the risk of cognitive decline. Staying connected with friends and family or participating in community activities can help maintain mental sharpness.
When Should You Seek an Assessment?
Timing is critical. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends seeking an assessment when cognitive changes:
- Are noticeable to the individual or others.
- Begin to interfere with daily life or work responsibilities.
- Persist beyond what is typical for age-related forgetfulness.
Additionally, people with a family history of dementia or those with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or obesity should be particularly vigilant.
It’s also important to consider an assessment if there’s a significant increase in forgetfulness, confusion, or difficulty with everyday tasks following a medical event, such as a stroke, head injury, or infection.
What Happens During a Dementia Assessment?
Echelon Health have developed the gold standard in detecting your risk of developing dementia.
Our Dementia Assessment offers clarity and accuracy in detecting the earliest signs of the disease, looking underneath the surface to unearth underlying causes of cognitive decline, for effective management and potential treatment.
The Dementia Assessment includes the following:
- Clients would undergo in-depth blood tests for those risk factors which have been implicated in the development of cognitive impairment. These include haematology, renal and liver function, tests for diabetes, cholesterol and its sub-types, thyroid gland function, levels of vitamin D, B12 and folic acid as well as markers of inflammation.
- Clients will undergo an advanced 3T MRI brain scan to provide incredibly detailed views of the brain. This scan will be reported by the lead neuroradiologist at Queens Square (National Hospital for Neurology).
- The client will undergo an in-depth cognitive and formal neuropsychological assessment by a consultant specialist in cognitive decline.
The memory assessment involves a detailed history and a neurocognitive test called the Addenbrookes cognitive assessment (ACE-III). This is a sensitive test used to assess memory disorders and a gold standard for established memory clinics. The assessment can be delivered online but facilities are available for a face to face session, particularly where a neurological examination is felt to be helpful. The ACE-III is sensitive to the early stages of dementia and is composed of tests of attention, memory, language, visual and spatial skills of the brain’. This test has a sensitivity score of up to 97%.
The mental functions tested include:
- General intellect.
- Reading/reading comprehension.
- Language usage and understanding of what others say.
- Attention/concentration.
- Processing speed.
- Learning and memory.
- Executive functions, which are higher-level skills you use to organize and plan, manage your time, problem-solve, multi-task, make judgments and maintain self-control.
- Visuospatial skills.
- Motor speed and dexterity.
- Mood and personality.
- Nuclear Medicine CT-PET Scan:
If our specialist observes any concerning signs, a nuclear medicine CT-PET scan targeting amyloid may be recommended. This advanced imaging test can identify amyloid deposits in the brain, a key characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, providing additional diagnostic information.
- Bespoke Support:
Following the assessment, clients receive personalised counselling on the most recent treatments for dementia, including newly approved drugs that target amyloid proteins.
Dementia assessments are vital for identifying cognitive changes early and taking appropriate actions to slow or prevent further decline. If you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms, don’t wait. Schedule an evaluation with a healthcare provider and prioritise preventative measures like physical activity, a healthy diet, and mental stimulation.
By addressing cognitive concerns early and adopting brain-healthy habits, you can take control of your brain health and improve long-term outcomes.
For a confidential conversation with our Head of Private Clients, contact our team today. We will always be delighted to help give you more information and answer any questions you may have.
Listen to the latest Wealth of Health podcast episode on Dementia, on YouTube or Spotify now.
Sources:
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352019
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/should-you-be-tested-for-dementia
