Alastair Stewart has shared the early warning signs he experienced before he was diagnosed with dementia.
The veteran broadcaster, 72, announced that he was suffering from early-onset vascular dementia in September 2023 after his retirement after almost five decades on the air.
Stewart, who was the face of ITV news segments for more than 35 years, said that after seeing his GP a scan revealed he had had a series of “minor strokes which are called strokes of heart attack”, which led to his diagnosis.
The former rews reader has now spoken out about his diagnosis in aid of Dementia Action Week, which starts on Monday (May 13), and shared the initial concerns that led him to consult doctors.
Stewart said it is “completely vital, not metaphorically, to get a diagnosis,” and said the dementia he suffers from may be “less likely to kill you,” but “it is debilitating.”
He said The times: “If you receive a diagnosis, like I did, suddenly many things make sense. You realize why your short-term memory has skyrocketed.
Stewart said the first warning sign was highlighted by his wife, Sally, who he said is “incredibly lucky to have.”
“Sally realized that she suddenly couldn't tell time on an analog watch anymore,” he explained. “She just couldn't understand what she was telling me. That's why I have a digital watch now.”
Stewart said he also “couldn't fasten his shoelaces accurately” as well as his belt. He added: “That's worrying and the more you worry, the worse it potentially gets.”
The retired broadcaster said his colleagues “were brilliant and very supportive” but they also noticed something was wrong.
“They said, 'Look, something's wrong. You have arrived very early. Or: “You don't look very good.” You're a little disheveled,' or whatever. So in the end I took a deep breath and went to see the GP, who said, 'Well, maybe you're just getting older.' We do not know. There's only one way to know: through an MRI.
“And thank God and three cheers to the NHS, I didn't have to wait.”
Speaking about receiving the diagnosis, Stewart said: “I really think it was a huge relief for me and Sally in the sense that she had half guessed it anyway, but then we were able to look each other in the eyes and say, 'It's okay.' “. “Now we know what the problem is and we can do certain things that will hopefully stop it from getting worse, and we know there are people we can talk to.” “
Alzheimer's Research UK found in 2023 that one in 10 deaths in the UK were due to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
The charity, which aims to find a cure for the diseases, has called for all drugs “deemed safe and effective” to treat the disease to be made available on the NHS as soon as possible.
If you have concerns about yourself or someone close to you, visit the Alzheimer's Society (alzheimers.org.uk) or call the dementia support line on 0333 150 3456
