A woman has recounted the "terrifying" moment she knew something was seriously wrong with her husband, after he contacted her in a panic during a business trip.
Marion Hinde, from Ellesmere Port, has shared her personal experience of her husband Tom being diagnosed with young onset dementia as part of Dementia Action Week. She has joined forces with the Alzheimer's Society to help spread the word about the importance of early diagnosis with dementia.
Marion is encouraging others with any concerns to seek help and not to pass any memory issues off as being due to old age. She said that Tom, now 60, had not been able to board his train due to his then undiagnosed dementia back in 2017 and Marion was so worried that she set off on a six-hour trip to bring him home, before seeking a diagnosis and support, CheshireLive reports.
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Tom was displaying symptoms for a year and his personality was changing, he was becoming forgetful, and he kept thinking the family were moving things in the house. His diagnosis of young onset dementia at 55 only came after a crisis when he was stuck in Scotland on a work trip, unable to get on the train on his own.
Marion, 54, recalled: "I think we both realised that Tom was changing – he was only 54 at the time, but his personality was becoming different, his mood was low, he was getting forgetful and verbally aggressive. We saw the changes, didn’t think anything more of it at the time.
“It was only when we had a terrifying experience that we realised he needed help. I got a call from Tom sounding very confused and fearful, he couldn’t get on his train home. He just couldn’t get on and was totally lost on what to do.
"The image of him stuck in a station miles away, confused and scared was frightening. I drove six hours to pick him up and bring him home. The next day we went straight to the GP and he got his dementia diagnosis soon after."
The Alzheimer's Society charity has revealed more than one in four people with dementia in the North West will live with symptoms for more than two years before getting a diagnosis. This is due to some people dismissing any symptoms as being part and parcel of getting older.
The charity has issued a new symptoms checklist to help people as part of its new campaign – ‘It’s not called getting old, it’s called getting ill’. The aim is to encourage people worried about their own or their loved ones’ memory to seek support in getting a diagnosis.
A survey of more than 1,000 people with diagnosed dementia, carers and people without a diagnosis revealed that 27% of those in the North West lived with dementia for more than two years after first noticing their symptoms, before getting a diagnosis. The figures, released today to mark the start of Dementia Action Week, also showed a further 35% in the area waited between one and two years.
In an emotional film released this week, the Alzheimer’s Society shows how the symptoms of dementia, such as asking the same question repeatedly, can easily be dismissed as a sign of old age. Steve Green, area manager for Alzheimer’s Society in Cheshire and Merseyside, said: "Asking the same question over and over again is not called getting old, it’s called getting ill. If you’re worried for yourself or someone you love, take the first step this Dementia Action Week – come to Alzheimer’s Society for support.
"The stark findings of our survey released today show just how dangerous it can be to battle dementia symptoms alone and put off getting help. Yes, getting a diagnosis can be daunting, but it is worth it. More than nine in 10 people with dementia told us they benefited from getting a diagnosis – it gave them crucial access to treatment, care and support, and precious time to plan for the future.
"With the pandemic causing diagnosis rates to plunge, it’s more important than ever to seek help. You don’t have to face dementia alone, we’re here to support everyone affected." The Alzheimer’s Society’s survey also revealed over a third (32 per cent) of those who were diagnosed after two years only sought a diagnosis because they had reached a crisis point, with more than three quarters struggling to look after themselves (80 per cent), nearly half finding it too difficult to cope (40 per cent), and having an accident (40 per cent) before seeking help.
This Dementia Action Week, Alzheimer’s Society is urging anyone worried about themselves or someone they love to take the first step and contact the charity for support. Support and more information about a diagnosis is just a phone call or a click away. Visit alzheimers.org.uk/memoryloss or call 0333 150 3456. For callers who do not have English as their language of choice, Alzheimer’s Society can arrange a simultaneous language translation service.
