People have been warned about an obscure sign of Alzheimer’s disease they may notice when driving. Many families around the UK have been affected by a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s and it has been in the headlines following the news that Fiona Phillips has been diagnosed with the early onset of the disease.
Alzheimer’s is one of the most common types of dementia and the earlier it is diagnosed the better the options for the patient are. There are some signs which are to be expected and others that may be surprising, as reported by The Mirror.
Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. For people getting behind the wheel of a car, a symptom of the disease is them having difficulty remembering the way to a familiar location.
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But a lesser known symptom is that people suffering from the illness can find it hard to determine colour or contrast, which can be noticed when driving. “For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer's. This may lead to difficulty with balance or trouble reading. They may also have problems judging distance and determining colour or contrast, causing issues with driving,” states the Alzheimer’s Association.
It adds that this shouldn’t be confused with vision changing due to cataracts as they get older. Meanwhile, a new survey by the Alzheimer's Society revealed only one in three people tell their doctors about themselves or a loved one experiencing dementia symptoms within the first month, with the majority remaining silent.
The poll of 1,100 people showed many people stayed quiet because they weren’t certain which symptoms were dementia-like and which were just normal ageing. “One in three people (33%) who notice symptoms of dementia in themselves or a loved one keep their fears to themselves for over a month,” the charity said.
According to the survey, only 15% of people addressed the issue straight away, while 11% said they still haven’t raised their concerns after spotting the first symptom. Resident doctor on ITV's Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, Dr Amir Khan, said: “A third of us will go on to develop dementia in our lifetimes – we need to change the idea that getting dementia is inevitable as we age - it’s not called getting old - it’s called getting ill."
