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<\/p>\nDementia is often associated with memory loss, but there is one commonly overlooked symptom that may be a red flag for the condition<\/p>\n
One often-missed dementia warning sign is when navigating stairs – stock photo<\/p>\n
Dementia is a broad term describing a deterioration in cognitive function that significantly disrupts daily living. Rather than being a specific illness, it’s a syndrome resulting from various disorders affecting the brain.<\/p>\n
Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent form of dementia, though other varieties include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia.<\/p>\n
While dementia is frequently linked with memory problems, disorientation, and struggles with routine activities, one often neglected symptom can manifest itself unexpectedly – while navigating stairs.<\/p>\n
Specialists are highlighting this less recognised early warning sign of dementia that may emerge before substantial behavioural alterations become apparent. Alzheimer Scotland, a prominent dementia charity, has emphasised the significance of identifying symptoms beyond memory impairment.<\/p>\n
The organisation explained: “People often assume that memory loss and dementia are one and the same, but there are other key symptoms and signs to look out for. Every person with dementia is different. How their illness affects them depends on which areas of their brain are most damaged.”<\/p>\n
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While dementia is often associated with memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with everyday tasks, one commonly overlooked symptom can reveal itself in a surprising way<\/p>\n
Dementia manifests in different ways, and while memory decline, reduced thinking speed, decreased mental acuity, and language challenges are familiar indicators, there are additional warning signs that might signal its development, reports Surrey Live<\/a>.<\/p>\n Shifts in balance, coordination and spatial awareness can serve as an early warning sign that something isn’t right, yet many people brush off these subtle changes as simply part of getting older.<\/p>\n Alongside cognitive decline, dementia can also have a significant impact on physical movement, as those affected may struggle to judge distances accurately \u2014 likely due to the brain’s reduced ability to process spatial information.<\/p>\n The condition can lead to weakened visuospatial awareness, making everyday tasks such as going up or down stairs considerably more challenging. Those affected may struggle to lift their legs properly and become increasingly susceptible to slipping or falling.<\/p>\n Alzheimer Scotland cautions that dementia can alter the way we interact with our surroundings, potentially heightening the risk of trips and falls.<\/p>\n The Alzheimer’s Society has pointed out that changes in a person’s gait, such as shuffling their feet rather than lifting them, could be an early indicator of dementia.<\/p>\n “Things like slips, trips and falls might become more common. You might start to notice that a person is shuffling as opposed to lifting their legs when they are walking,” the charity explains.<\/p>\n Struggling with stairs could be an early warning sign of dementia, with experts highlighting this subtle symptom which can affect movement and spatial awareness before memory loss becomes apparent<\/p>\n Should someone be struggling with stairs while displaying other signs of dementia, it is advisable to arrange a GP appointment on their behalf. To enhance stair safety, the society recommends discussing necessary modifications with landlords or letting agents where required, as well as taking part in strength and balance exercises.<\/p>\n “You can reduce your risk of falling by doing strength or balance exercises twice a week. These include sitting, standing and walking exercises. Your GP could also refer you to a physiotherapist.”<\/p>\n Furthermore, the charity recommends checking homes for potential dangers such as loose carpets and clutter. The NHS also highlights other notable dementia symptoms to watch for, including memory difficulties and communication problems.<\/p>\n According to Dementia UK, there are numerous other physical indicators of dementia.<\/p>\n Dementia symptoms affecting cognitive abilityDifficulty understanding time and place, e.g getting up in the middle of the night to go to workDifficulty with choosing what to buy and paying when shoppingStruggling with decision-making and reasoningLoss of interest in activities they used to enjoyRestlessness such as pacing, fidgeting and trying to leave the houseEarly symptoms of dementia<\/p>\n According to the NHS, these are typically the initial symptoms of dementia, although it can impact people differently.<\/p>\n Memory lossDifficulty concentratingFinding familiar daily tasks difficult or confusingStruggling to follow a conversation or find the right wordBeing confused about time and placeMood changes<\/p>\n Want to see more of the stories you love from the Irish Mirror? 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To add Irish Mirror as a preferred source, simply click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dementia is often associated with memory loss, but there is one commonly overlooked symptom that may be a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":432243,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[2926,103,61,60],"class_list":["post-432242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-dementia","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/432242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=432242"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/432242\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/432243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=432242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=432242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=432242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_GettyImages-131994182.jpg\")
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