The average waiting time for a diagnosis of young onset dementia in the UK is just under four years and five months. This contrasts with an average of just under two years and two months for a dementia diagnosis in people over 65.
Helen Beaumont, from Manchester, spent years arguing with her husband Clive before he was diagnosed with young onset dementia at 46. She recalled that Clive, who died aged 51 in 1999, had been diagnosed with depression, but she later learned his symptoms had been confused.
Helen, now 75, believes an earlier diagnosis could have given them "at least two years when we weren't fighting all the time". Since Clive's death, she has become a dementia researcher, raising awareness and continuing his legacy through her charity, The Clive Project.
Dementia is characterised by an ongoing decline in brain functioning, with symptoms that can include memory loss, slower thinking speed, and changes in understanding, judgement, and mood. While often linked to old age, young onset dementia affects 7.5% of people with dementia in the UK, with symptoms beginning before the age of 65.