Actress and campaigner Vicky McClure takes part in the Memory Walk in Nottinghamshire on September 10 in aid of dementia sufferers
(Picture: PA)Music’s ability to help people who have dementia is celebrated in BBC1’s Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure. The two-part series is hosted by the Line of Duty star, whose late grandmother, Iris, suffered from the illness.
McClure and the choir head for the Abbey Road studios in London to record a single to raise awareness of the inadquate support for people who have dementia. The choir includes existing members Mick and Julie and new members Kev and Leslie, and aims to make up for the lack of music therapy for those with the illness.
The actress said she was “really scared” about how people could manage their care costs and frustrated by the lack of funding to help people with dementia.
The new series follows the two-part Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure, which aired in 2019 and culminated in a performance in front of 2,000 people at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall.
Our Dementia Choir with Vicky McClure begins at 9pm on Monday October 10.
Research has shown that one in four people with dementia have symptoms for two years before they get a diagnosis, as symptoms are often mistaken for normal signs of ageing.
The Alzheimer’s Society wants to encourage people to learn about the signs of dementia and to know when to seek a diagnosis so that they can seek guidance and support.
The society has published a guide explaining common symptoms of dementia and how they differ from normal signs of ageing. The campaign’s key message is “it’s not called getting old, it’s called getting ill”.
McClure is an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, which runs the Dementia Action Week. The programme of events aims to raise awareness and encourage people to “act on dementia.”
When is Dementia Action Week and what is the theme?
Next year, Dementia Action Week takes place over May 15-21. This year’s week focused on diagnosis, and the charity said it had received a 43% average increase in calls from people who were concerned either they or someone they know might have dementia.
What are the symptoms of dementia?
Dementia is caused by a disease that damages the brain. Its symptoms include memory loss, confusion and needing help with daily tasks, problems with language and understanding, and changes in behaviour.
The Alzheimer’s society says: “When a person has dementia, this worsening in mental abilities is much more serious than the normal changes that people experience as they get older.
“The changes may be small to start with, but become more noticeable. For a health professional to diagnose dementia, a person’s symptoms must be significantly affecting their daily life.
“This means having difficulties with completing daily tasks about the house, in the community or at work.”
Symptoms of dementia are different from normal signs of ageing. For example, someone without dementia may forget something they were told a while ago, while someone with dementia may forget something they were told recently and may repeatedly ask the same questions.
Someone experiencing normal signs of ageing may struggle to focus on a number of tasks at once, while someone with dementia may struggle to focus on just one task.
Dementia symptoms will vary depending on the type of dementia someone has. For example, rare forms of dementia, such as dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) can cause hallucinations, inappropriate language or behaviour, and problems staying alert.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that affects the brain and is the most common cause of dementia. The second most common cause of dementia is vascular dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease causes proteins in the brain to build up and form abnormal structures that affect the connection between the nerve cells. Eventually, nerve cells will die and brain tissue will be lost.
People with Alzheimer’s also have fewer “chemical messengers” that help send signals between the cells. However, some drug treatments can help boost the levels of the chemical messengers, which can help with some symptoms.
Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease. This means that over time, more parts of the brain are damaged, and more symptoms will develop and get lost.
The Alzheimer’s Society says: “More than 520,000 people in the UK have dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease and this figure is set to rise.”
If you’re concerned that you or a loved one may be experiencing symptoms of dementia, you can speak to the Alzheimer’s Society for support and guidance. They will be able to offer you practical advice on what steps to take, and what to expect from the diagnosis process.
Head to https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ or call the Dementia Connect support line on 0333 150 3456.
