Early diagnosis can have a number of benefits:
Diagnosis provides access to dementia treatments. Although there is currently no cure for most types of dementia there are medications that assist with some of the symptoms, and these can only be prescribed when a formal diagnosis has been made. There is the opportunity to access trial therapies.
Early diagnosis gives the person with dementia an opportunity to plan for their future while they are still able to make decisions about how they wish to spend the years ahead, their care and support preferences, and time to address financial and legal matters.
Early diagnosis enables access to the services, resources and community supports available for people with dementia, such as education and support groups, as well as health and lifestyle initiatives to slow the progression of the condition.
Family members and friends can benefit from early diagnosis as it gives them the opportunity to learn about the condition and how to best support their loved one.
Although it is upsetting to find out that the cause of cognitive changes is dementia, receiving a diagnosis can provide answers, relieve some fear and uncertainty, and enable the person and their family to develop a pathway forward.