Dementia is becoming much more prevalent. It’s thought there are more than 944,000 people in the UK who have it, and among the over-65s, one in 11 people are impacted.
The figure is rising because people are living longer, according to the NHS, with estimates suggesting the number of people with the disease will surpass one million in five years time.
As we age, we’re often on the lookout for those tell-tale signs of dementia – such as memory loss, slower thinking speed and struggling with words.
But according to neurologist Dr Baibing Chen – known on social media as Dr Bing – there are five lesser-known signs of dementia that we should all be aware of too, if not for ourselves then for our family members.
What are the five unexpected signs of dementia?
The first one is financial problems, said Dr Chen. “One of the early signs of dementia can be difficulty managing money,” he explained in a TikTok video.
“This could look like missing payments, struggling with simple budgeting or making financial decisions that just seem out of character like giving away large amounts of money or falling for scams.”
Another sign is struggling with a sleep disorder. The expert said that as people age, they tend to sleep lightly, and go to bed and wake up earlier than they used to – and that’s normal.
“However if there are dramatic changes in someone’s sleep habits, where they are starting their morning at say 2am or unable to stay awake during the day, it can be a sign of dementia,” he added.
The third sign the neurologist flagged is personality changes – as dementia can impact a person’s mood or personality “and someone who was once calm might become easily agitated or even aggressive”.
People with early dementia might also find themselves getting lost on roads they drive down all the time, or even running through red lights and missing exits on the motorway.
“We all have lapses in attention and miss an exit once in a while ... but if these driving problems become a consistent pattern, it’s time to take it seriously,” said Dr Chen.
And lastly, loss of smell could flag changes in your brain. “This might surprise you but losing the ability to smell could be one of the first signs of dementia,” said the neurologist.
“Many people that eventually go on to develop dementia begin to lose their sense of smell years or even decades before other symptoms appear.”
If you’re worried you might have dementia, start by talking to your GP, who can carry out an initial assessment.
According to Alzheimer’s Society, if they think you might have dementia they’ll refer you to a local memory service for further tests.