There are several tests that can be used to detect dementia early, which can give you an indication that someone should seek further advice from a doctor
Dementia – a general term for the loss of memory, language and problem-solving abilities – is a heartbreaking condition that affects not only the patient who has the condition, but also their entire family.
Although there is currently no cure, it is critical to spot symptoms early so you can get information about diagnosis, treatment, and getting help before the disease progresses. There are several ways you can check if someone is showing early signs of dementia, such as having them draw a clock.
Another widely used method is a simple word test that can be used to detect memory problems a person may have. Throughout our lives, our brains store all the words we learn in our memories, which we then use to remember what a word means without thinking about it.
But for a person showing signs of dementia, they may have difficulty remembering certain words or get them confused – which in turn could mean they have problems with their memory – which is an early sign of dementia.
Word association tests can therefore be used as a quick way to detect memory problems and according to the UK Dementia Guide it ‘works well’.
There are several ways you can do this, but Directory of Dementia in the UK recommends asking the individual to name all the animals they can in one minute. Alternatively, you can ask them to name all the types of fruit they can remember within the same time limit.
The key is that it should be a topic where someone can easily name many items.
Research shows that healthy individuals typically achieve between 20 and 25 words within the allotted time, while a person with memory problems typically achieves between 10 and 15.
That being said, it doesn’t necessarily mean that someone who gets this result has dementia, but it’s a good indication that you might want to encourage them to see a GP who can investigate further. If you have further concerns about the results of the word association test or the clock drawing test, you should seek further advice from a doctor.
Have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk