Alan Saunders, 52, from Lewisham, experienced a dramatic change in behaviour that was initially misdiagnosed as depression before doctors ultimately identified it as dementia. Once known for being a calm and reserved individual, Alan’s personality shifted abruptly, causing confusion among medical professionals and distress for his family.
When Alan began to ramble during work meetings and became involved in altercations, his employer referred him to several doctors and provided a life coach. Despite these interventions, his condition worsened, leading to the loss of his job as a lorry driver. In 2023, he was diagnosed with depression and prescribed anti-depressants; however, his erratic behaviour persisted.
His partner of 36 years, Sharon Yardley, 44, recalls the sudden change: “It was almost like it was overnight he changed. I can’t explain it. It was so out of character. It was like he hit self-destruct; he was not focused, he was erratic, his driving got really erratic.” She described Alan as originally a “laid-back, quiet man” who rarely spoke much at work.
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Over the course of two years, Sharon tirelessly accompanied Alan to multiple medical appointments in search of an accurate diagnosis. She noted that he became obsessively focused on topics such as death and struggled to concentrate. The death of Alan’s father and their dog were challenging times, initially leading Sharon to believe he was suffering from depression.
“She wasn’t convinced by the diagnosis,” she explained, saying, “I went back again two or three times and said surely it is not depression. Alan would just ramble, and it was weird.” Despite increased antidepressant medication and counselling, Alan’s condition declined to the point where Sharon had to take time off work regularly to liaise with health services and eventually sold his car due to unsafe driving.
In December 2025, after two home assessments, multiple sedative treatments, and a consultation with a psychiatrist, Alan was finally diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia at middle-to-late stage. He has since been admitted to the dementia ward at Bethlem Royal Hospital in London.
Sharon reflected on the challenges faced throughout the diagnosis journey: “I think back and I thought how did I ever get through this. I didn’t even know when he lost his job and we had a mortgage together. When his behaviour changed and got worse, I could not cope with it. We never had any troubles in our relationship but he was such a gentle and kind person.”
The delay in diagnosis affected the entire family, complicating efforts to support Alan properly and appeal his job loss. Sharon also balanced caring for her own mother, who has dementia, adding to the strain.
Reflecting on the process, Sharon expressed frustration: “The whole time I just wanted him to get the right care. It was so frustrating getting a diagnosis; sometimes I feel like I failed him because it took so long. There is just no support out there for a 52-year-old with dementia.”
Alan’s story highlights the difficulties in recognising early-onset dementia and the vital need for awareness and support for younger patients and their families.