Off The Record

A 54-Year-Old Woman Was Told She Had Dementia After Her Doctor Asked Her To Do One Easy Thing

Published on February 14, 2025

A woman, who struggles with dementia like actress Pauline Quirke, has described the moment she realized she had the disease. Best renowned for her part in “Birds of a Feather,” Quirke was diagnosed with dementia in 2021 and is currently having trouble recognizing people as her condition worsens.

In an emotional statement earlier this year, her husband, Steven Sheen, revealed Pauline’s retirement from acting and opened up openly about the challenges they are facing.

Maurice Gran, co-writer of the famous sitcom ‘Birds of a Feather’ with Laurence Marks, shared insights on Pauline’s condition, saying, “Since the diagnosis, her condition has progressed. She’s still only 65, so it’s heartbreaking. Initially, she felt like she was losing her grip. Now, we understand she has trouble identifying her own family members.”

Like Pauline Quirke, Gail has felt the full impact of being diagnosed with dementia. After a regular check-up in 2019, Gail was diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 54. A straightforward test revealed that she had the disease, and she courageously told her story on the My Life with Dementia podcast.

She described how her partner John noticed changes but frequently disregarded them.

She stated, “John noticed changes but John, being a man, sometimes tries to put them to one side and won’t accept that there’s changes and makes an excuse for something,” according to the Mirror.

She added, “Until we went to the doctors and he did a simple test of ‘Can you draw me a clock face’ and I couldn’t do it. I’d never even thought about that at the time, I just couldn’t get the numbers in the right place.”

Gail also recalled how her memory problems caused her to only catch fragments of an address that was presented to her during the appointment. Her realization that something was seriously wrong when she saw the worry on John’s face was the pivotal moment.

The NHS outlines a number of dementia symptoms, pointing out that although early symptoms may be minor and simple to ignore, they usually get worse over time and eventually result in what is known as “mild cognitive impairment” (MCI) prior to a complete diagnosis. Although they might not always recognize the seriousness of these early indicators, friends and family are frequently the first to notice them.

According to the NHS, physicians frequently use memory tests to determine whether a patient may have dementia. The General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition (GPCOG) sometimes includes reciting an address, as Gail was asked to do.

The test can indicate to medical experts that more research is necessary, even though it cannot make a clear diagnosis of dementia. Other activities in the test include drawing a clock face and reading the time.

According to the NHS, doctors will also inquire about a patient’s medical history, including the onset of symptoms. Brain scans and blood testing are other diagnostic techniques used to check for potential dementia symptoms.

Make an appointment with your general practitioner or contact the NHS website if you or someone you know is concerned about possible dementia.