Twelve signs to observe.
Stage 01 · Before diagnosis
You’ve noticed something. Write it down before you sit in front of the GP.
Twelve specific signs to observe over four to six weeks. Score them honestly. Bring the page to the appointment. Most families wait months for confirmation — you do not need to.
A general description of your concerns is easy to dismiss. Twelve signs, scored, with dates and examples is not. The page in your hand is the difference between “keep an eye on it” and a referral to a memory clinic.
DCC clinical guidance · April 2026
What’s inside
Four categories. Twelve specific signs. Scored over four to six weeks.
You tick “sometimes,” “often,” or “always / most days” against each one. The categories are not a diagnosis. They are the language a GP and a memory clinic actually use — so what you have observed is heard.
- A3 signs
Memory.
Repeating the same question or story in one conversation. Forgetting recent events while older memories stay clear. Losing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them.
- B3 signs
Language & communication.
Word-finding difficulty, or substituting an approximate word. Losing the thread mid-sentence. Struggling to follow or join in a group conversation.
- C3 signs
Daily tasks & orientation.
Familiar tasks — a known recipe, a familiar appliance — becoming unfamiliar. Confusion about the date, day, or time of year. Disorientation in places they have known for years.
- D3 signs
Behaviour & mood.
New anxiety, suspicion, or irritability without an obvious cause. Lost interest in activities they previously enjoyed. Withdrawal from social contact more than before.
What your score means
Three bands. Three different next steps. No guesswork.
The scoring guide on the back of the checklist tells you what to do with what you have just observed. Three plain answers, in three plain bands.
Low band
0–3 signs marked “sometimes”
Normal ageing is likely.
Continue to observe. No immediate action required — but keep this record. If something changes, the dated page is what you bring back.
Mid band
4–6 signs · or 1–2 marked “often” or “always”
There is cause for attention.
Arrange a GP appointment to discuss what you have observed. Take this checklist with you. The conversation starts from a page, not a feeling.
High band
7+ signs · or 3+ marked “often” or “always”
A GP appointment is recommended promptly.
There may be a referral to a memory clinic. Take the checklist and your dated notes. Ask, specifically, for the referral.
How to use it
Three steps. Four to six weeks of observation. One conversation.
01
Observe over four to six weeks.
Not one bad afternoon. A pattern over weeks. Tick “sometimes,” “often,” or “always / most days” against each of the twelve signs.
02
Write down specific incidents.
Dates. Examples. The Tuesday the cooker was left on. The Saturday she could not remember the road name. Specific is what a clinician can act on.
03
Take the page to the GP.
Hand it across the desk. Ask for a referral to a memory clinic if your concerns are not dismissed. You do not need to wait for the GP to suggest it.
Important to be clear
This is an observational tool, not a clinical test. It does not diagnose dementia. A diagnosis can only be made by a qualified clinician, usually after a memory assessment. The purpose of the page is to help you describe what you have observed clearly enough that a GP can decide whether to refer.
Most families wait months for confirmation. You do not need to.
Print the checklist tonight. Observe for four to six weeks. Take it to the GP. The page is the difference.
