Failing this simple writing test could be an early sign of dementia

A change in handwriting or sudden bad handwriting lay be an early symptom of dementia, an expert has warned. Changes including shakiness and difficulty forming letters, plus issues with spelling and grammar, can emerge years before more obvious symptoms lead to a formal diagnosis. Michael Berkley-Blezard at the Elmfield care group home Old Sarum Manor, said: “Starting to have an issue with reading and writing, where the person hasn’t previously had a problem, is often an indicator of dementia.

“This could be seen through a change in handwriting in birthday cards for example.” More than 980,000 people are thought to be living with dementia in the UK, but around a third do not have a diagnosis. Mr Berkley-Blezard said the condition was often more than just becoming forgetful — with wide-ranging impacts on the way people speak, feel, think and behave.

Other lesser-known signs of dementia include not enjoying the same foods any more. Mr Berkley-Blezard said: “Sensory issues are not always recognised as dementia symptoms and as a result, are not often reported as such.

“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.”

Changes to gait or shuffling when walking could also be an early symptom. People with dementia are more likely to suffer trips and falls, and “may start to struggle with spatial awareness and depth perception which can impact how they move around their surroundings”, Mr Berkley-Blezard said.

Another symptom he highlighted was using the wrong word in a sentence. “Struggling to find words is another lesser-known symptom of dementia,” he 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 symptom that Mr Berkley-Blezard said often goes under the radar is being late, which can be linked to difficulties with reading clocks.

He explained: “Losing track of time can be an early sign of dementia that can sometimes go under the radar.

“A clear sign that your loved one is suffering from this symptom is that they start being late to appointments and social meetings. It can be due to memory loss or an inability to read an analogue clock anymore.”