The effects of dementia can be devastating for both individuals with the disease and their family members.
However, detecting the disease early can significantly improve and extend a patient’s quality of life.
A 27-year-old TikToker named Jess has amassed nearly half a million followers by sharing her grandmother's journey with dementia.
Her social media platform documents precious moments with her 85-year-old grandmother and highlights the challenges of cognitive decline.
Jess's clip raises awareness of dementia symptoms
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In a recent clip, Jess focussed on identifying the earliest warning signs of dementia in elderly loved ones.
She explained that her grandmother's advanced age made it particularly challenging to determine whether changes in her personality were due to a degenerative condition or natural ageing.
The family first noticed subtle changes years before receiving an official diagnosis, as her grandmother began showing signs of difficulty keeping up with conversations.
"One of the first symptoms was a form of cognitive decline, she really struggled to find the words she was looking for within her sentences", Jess shared.
"My nan just wasn't following along in the conversations that we were having. You could see that she was getting lost and not really understanding what was going on."
She observed her grandmother would often get lost in her own world during discussions.
But the progression of symptoms quickly led to repetitive behaviours, with her grandmother asking the same questions every two minutes.
"We went through a period where she repeated everything multiple times... She would ask me to introduce somebody again", Jess revealed.
She noted that grandmother was also seemingly unaware of her condition, often telling family members "it feels like her brain is all muddled up".
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GP's can arrange a blood test to rule out the causes of dementia
PAAs the dementia worsened, Jess's grandmother began to struggle to maintain daily routines.
"It is very important that even when you notice one small symptom, go and speak to your GP, and make sure you push if you know something isn't right."
The NHS notes: "To help rule out other causes of memory problems, the GP will do a physical examination and may organise tests, such as a blood test and urine test.
"You'll also be asked to do a memory or cognitive test to check any problems with your memory or ability to think clearly."
