A young woman from Bristol is speaking out about her mother’s diagnosis with young-onset dementia, a condition that affects people under the age of 65.
Emily Britton, 29, describes how she initially dismissed her mum’s symptoms as menopause-related but eventually received a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. The once-energetic and chatty woman is now unable to care for herself and requires constant assistance from her daughter.
Dementia affects one in three people by age 80 and the Alzheimer’s Society states that there are around 70,800 people living with young-onset dementia in the UK.
Emily says she wanted to raise awareness of the condition after noticing how few people discuss it compared to other health issues. She wants others to trust their instincts and seek medical attention quickly if they suspect something is wrong.
The experience has been “heartbreaking” for Emily, who now devotes her life to caring for her mother. However, with support from organizations like the Alzheimer’s Society, she remains determined to maintain a sense of normalcy and quality of life for herself and her mum.
Emily and her family have recently joined thousands of others in a 26-mile fundraising walk to raise money for the charity, which has been instrumental in helping them cope with their diagnosis.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq6m4pyrllzo