London based singer Alexis Strum is raising funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s Society by shining a light on the six most common symptoms of dementia and encouraging people to seek help if they spot these signs in themselves or a loved one.
Around 87,300 people are living with dementia in London and a third of them do not have a diagnosis. Yet, new research by the charity reveals that over 60% of UK adults in London do not know that problems with vision changes can sometimes be a symptom of dementia – and one in ten could not name a single common symptom of dementia.[1]
Dementia can affect vision in different ways, including problems judging distances (such as on stairs), perceiving the edges of objects, or misinterpreting patterns or reflections. It can also make reading large text more difficult, or cause issues with recognising objects.
The survey also found that across the UK less than two-thirds of respondents identified that problems with communication (61%) or mood changes (64%) were symptoms of dementia.
Pic: Alexis Strum and her mother before her Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Alexis Strum is a singer songwriter who lives in London with her daughter, struggled initially to make sense of her mother’s symptoms, until she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2021.
Alexis is passionate about raising dementia awareness and encouraging others to seek help sooner. She feels so strongly in fact that she has released a song, ‘Swim’ to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society which you can support here.
Alexis first knew something wasn’t right when her mum drove over her foot seven years ago and did not respond in her usual caring way. Alexis said: “It was such a weird, uncanny experience [she ran over my foot] that I didn’t know how to process it. I hobbled on for the rest of the day and eventually the pain subsided, but this awkward feeling in my stomach persisted – ‘what on earth was going on with mum?’.
“Time passed and every so often mum would behave very irrationally and get super emotional or misinterpret a situation or turn up somewhere on the wrong day. I was so busy bringing my daughter up on my own that I just put it down to a myriad of other, more palatable reasons – anything rather than think that mum might be seriously unwell. Towards the end of 2021 though, there was no hiding the fact that something felt off with mum, a psychiatrist visited our home for an official assessment and told us they believed she had Alzheimer’s which was later confirmed by further tests.”
“Getting a diagnosis earlier would have been so helpful to us as a family – for mum, in terms of giving her reassurance and support and for us, in terms of navigating the care system and becoming informed. Once we knew what was wrong with mum, the Alzheimer’s Society website and phoneline became a real lifeline for us and gave us comfort, common ground with other people’s experiences and a realistic view of what to expect in the coming months and years.”
Dementia is not a natural part of ageing. The six most common symptoms of dementia include:
Memory loss – problems recalling things that happened recently
Difficulty organising thoughts – struggling to make decisions, solve problems or follow steps
Problems with communication – difficulties following conversations or struggling to find the right words
Problems with vision – problems judging distances or perceiving object edges
Getting confused about time or place – losing track of the time or date, or becoming confused about where they are
Changes in mood or personality – becoming unusually anxious, irritable, or withdrawn
Finding the reason for any changes can help those living with dementia get the right information, treatment, and support. It can also help people and those around them to understand the changes they are experiencing and maximise the time spent with loved ones. It also allows people to plan by putting in place lasting power of attorney, exploring care options, managing finances, and accessing any benefits they may be entitled to.
If you’re worried about yourself, or someone close to you, then check your symptoms today. Visit alzheimers.org.uk/checklist or call Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Support Line on 0333 150 3456.
