The 6 early symptoms of UK’s biggest killer – as deaths rise year on year

DEMENTIA was the UK’s leading cause of death for the 13th year in a row in 2023, new research has revealed.

And the “crisis will only worsen” because of the ageing population, Alzheimer’s Research UK warned, unless the Government takes action.

In 2023, at least 75,393 people died of disease – 11.4 per cent of all recorded deaths.

This marks a steady rise from 74,261 in 2022 and 69,178 in 2021, according to the charities analysis.

Dementia now causes more deaths than heart disease.

The charity’s chief executive Hilary Evans-Newton said: “This data reveals the tragic reality of dementia’s devastating impact across the UK.

“This crisis will only worsen as our population ages unless Government takes action to address it.”

An estimated 944,000 people in the UK live with dementia.

Alzheimer’s Research UK predicts the figure could rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

Ms Evans-Newton added: “Dementia already accounts for a quarter of hospital beds for people over 65, and the cost of dementia to the NHS has doubled in the last decade mainly due to often avoidable emergency admissions.

“The magnitude of damage caused by dementia on people and wider society can’t be ignored by government.”

According to Alzheimer’s Research UK, dementia has been the leading cause of death in women since 2011, with the trend continuing in 2023.

More than 48,000 women died with the condition last year compared with 27,000 men.

The analysis also found that, of the four nations, Northern Ireland had the highest dementia death rate at 11.7 per cent, followed by England (11.6 per cent), Wales (10.6 per cent), and Scotland (10.2 per cent).

Ms Evans-Newton described the Government’s upcoming 10-year Health Plan as a “crucial opportunity” to future-proof NHS dementia services.

“The government’s 10-Year Health Plan offers a crucial opportunity to harness groundbreaking research developments and address the growing impact of dementia on society,” she said.

“New treatments and diagnostics are making their way to the UK, and we are learning more and more about how we can protect our brain health and reduce our risk of developing dementia in the future.

“The 10-Year Health Plan must be used as an opportunity to capitalise on the recent advances in research, futureproof NHS dementia services and ensure dementia doesn’t remain a death sentence for everyone it touches.”

Care minister Stephen Kinnock added: “Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease which has a terrible impact on so many families, including my own.

“This data reveals the profound toll dementia has on individuals and their loved ones in the UK.

“With our Plan for Change, this government is committed to getting the NHS back on its feet and creating a society where every person with dementia receives high-quality, compassionate care from diagnosis through to the end of life.

“We will put Britain at the forefront of transforming treatment for dementia, backing research into the disease and ensuring that new clinically and cost-effective treatments are rolled out in a safe and timely way.”

Symptoms of dementia in the early stages of the disease can be subtle at first.

But over time they become more pronounced and begin to interfere with a person’s daily life.

You may become aware of your loved one having the disease by subtle changes to their behaviour.

Your painstakingly polite loved one may pick up a new swearing habit or start dressing sloppy after previously taking great care with their appearance.

Here are six early signs of the disease to know.

1. Giving out money

Elderly people in general are at high risk of being scammed.

However, research has shown that giving out money could be a sign of early Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia.

It involved 67 adults around the age of 70.

Each person was paired with another participant that they had never met before.

They were handed $10 (£8) to share as they pleased.

Researchers discovered that those who were at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s gave more money to the person they had just met.

It means those who have the disease are more vulnerable to forking out cash.

Dr Duke Han, a neuropsychology professor at USC who led the research, said: “Trouble handling money is thought to be one of the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, and this finding supports that notion.”

2. Changes to humour 

Researchers at University College London discovered that a change to your sense of humour could mean you are at risk of “impending dementia”.

They revealed people with the disease are more likely to enjoy slapstick over more complicated forms of comedy.

They gathered the friends and family of 48 people with the disease and asked them questions about their loved ones’ sense of humour.

In the study, they were asked whether their relatives enjoyed shows like Mr Bean or more satirical shows like South Park.

Then they were asked if there was a difference between their humour 15 years ago.

The research revealed that Alzheimer’s patients started to prefer slapstick jokes around nine years before the start of typical dementia symptoms.

3. Dressing scruffy

Family members of someone who has Alzheimer’s know that sufferers can struggle to get ready in the morning.

Patients may choose clashing clothes, or wear things that are not weather-appropriate.

And research published in Sociology of Health and Illness in 2018, shows this could also be an early sign of what is to come.

They studied 32 people across three care homes and 15 regular homes in Kent.

Researchers interviewed 29 family carers and relatives and 28 care home staff to see how their patient’s dress.

They discovered that Alzheimer’s could caused people to start dressing differently.

4. Bad parking

Dementia affects people’s motor skills – meaning as their condition progresses their driving can get worse.

It slows down people’s reactions, making them bad at parking.

Researchers from Washington University in St Louis studied driving habits in 139 people – half of which were diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s.

The study found those with the disease were more likely to make abrupt changes in direction and drive slower.

The results were so significant that they were able to create a model to predict if people had Alzheimer’s based on their driving alone.

It predicted cases accurately in 90 per cent of the people.

5. Swearing 

Swearing is another sign that someone is developing Alzheimer’s.

When people have the disease, the filter in their brain that would usually tell them the correct situations to swear in is no longer as strong.

This can lead to awkward situations such as swearing in front of children.

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, found 18 per cent of people with Alzheimer’s used the word ‘f**k’ when prompted to name words beginning with ‘f’. 

6. Having no filter

Like with swearing, as someone develops Alzheimer’s their ability to filter what to say becomes hazy.

That’s because the part of the brain that controls our internal filter, the frontal prefrontal cortex, is known to shrink with age, according to experts. 

This means patients can say or do outlandishly inappropriate things without realising it is wrong.

Alzheimer’s Society explained: “These situations can be very confusing, distressing, shocking or frustrating for someone with dementia, as well as for those close to them.

“The person with dementia may not understand why their behaviour is considered inappropriate. It’s very unlikely that they are being inappropriate on purpose.”