As the holiday season approaches and Christmas cards start making their way to mailboxes, a specialist is advising individuals to be vigilant for a subtle indicator of dementia that might reveal itself in these festive greetings. The UK has approximately one million residents living with dementia, but over a third remain undiagnosed.

Michael Berkley-Blezard, an authority from Old Sarum Manor under the Elmfield care group, points out that alterations in handwriting on cards can signify an overlooked symptom of dementia. He notes, “Encountering difficulties with reading and writing, especially when these issues were not present before, may signal the onset of dementia. This could manifest as a noticeable change in handwriting styles on cards, such as those for birthdays.”

Typical dementia symptoms include struggles with recalling names and faces, disorientation in well-known locations, and misplacing items or forgetting their usual storage spots.

However, Mr. Berkley-Blezard also emphasized four additional, less-recognized symptoms that might warrant consulting a healthcare professional.

A sudden aversion to previously favored foods could indicate underlying issues. He elaborates, “Sensory challenges often go unnoticed as signs of dementia and thus are infrequently reported. These challenges may involve heightened sensitivity to sounds, altered perceptions of smells, and changes in taste, potentially leading a loved one to lose interest in foods they once enjoyed.”

“These sensory issues could be increased sensitivity to noise, changes to smells and also the way that food tastes which may cause a loved one to not to enjoy food they might have used to.” 

Shuffling when walking and having more trips and falls can also be a sign of dementia, along with poor spatial awareness and depth perception.

And struggling to find the right word could also indicate a problem. Mr Berkley-Blezard said: “This can look like stuttering when trying to get a sentence out, stopping a sentence mid-way through or jumbling up similar words such as saying ‘jumper’ when they mean ‘jacket’. This is known as ‘aphasia’ and can also affect names not just generic words.”

The final lesser-known symptom he highlighted was losing track of time and being late to appointments or meetings. This can be linked to memory loss or the inability to read an analogue clock.

Mr Berkley-Blezard added: “If you start to notice any of these signs in your loved ones, try and have a conversation with them about what you have noticed and suggest booking a doctor’s appointment to discuss the symptoms. This will help guide you and your loved one with how to move forward. 

“At this point, it is also a good idea to start having conversations on care options that are available and exploring alternative living arrangements.

“As your loved one’s symptoms worsen and they struggle to do more and more, a residential  care home may be able to give them the support and care that they require.”