This World Alzheimer’s Day, the theme is: “The Earlier You Know, The More You Can Do: A Dementia Diagnosis Matters.”
For many people, the thought of receiving a dementia diagnosis is frightening. Fear, stigma and misunderstanding can make it tempting to ignore the signs, put off seeking help or explain away changes as simply “getting older”.
But dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing. And while receiving a diagnosis can be incredibly difficult, not knowing does not stop dementia from being there. It can simply leave people, and their families, trying to cope without answers, understanding or support.
An early diagnosis can give someone something incredibly important: time.
Time to understand what is happening. Time to talk openly with the people they love. Time to make choices about their future, put practical arrangements in place and access the right treatment and support. Most importantly, it can give people more time to focus on what they can still do and how they want to live.
Because a diagnosis does not suddenly change who someone is.
The person who receives that diagnosis is still a parent, partner, friend, colleague, gardener, football supporter, musician or storyteller. They still have skills, opinions, humour and a need to feel valued. They still need friendship, purpose, connection and joy.
At Alive, we see every day what is possible when people living with dementia are supported to continue doing the things that matter to them. At our Dementia Meeting Centres, Memory Connections groups, gardens and activity sessions, people form friendships, learn new things, rediscover old interests and support one another.
They laugh. They contribute. They make choices. They live.
A diagnosis can open the door to this kind of support – but only if that support is there and people know how to find it. Too many individuals and families are still left waiting for answers or unsure where to turn after diagnosis. We must do better.
We also need to challenge the stigma that continues to surround dementia. Too often, a diagnosis is treated as though a person’s life has ended or their voice no longer matters.
People may be spoken over, excluded from decisions or underestimated.
That stigma can be as limiting as the condition itself.
We need a society in which people feel able to seek help without shame or fear. A society where professionals listen carefully, families are supported and communities understand how to include people rather than withdraw from them. And we must listen to people living with dementia themselves – asking what they want, what they need and what helps them to live well.
An earlier diagnosis will not remove all the difficulties dementia can bring. But it can replace uncertainty with understanding. It can connect people with support and give families a clearer path forward. It can create opportunities to plan, adapt and make the most of the time ahead.
This World Alzheimer’s Day, let us talk more openly about dementia. Let us notice the signs, listen without judgement and encourage people to seek help. Let us challenge the fear and stigma that prevent too many people from getting the answers they deserve.
Because a dementia diagnosis matters.
The earlier you know, the more you can understand, the more you can plan, and the more you can do.
Isobel Jones, CEO of Alive
