Tony Christie reveals his recent battle with memory loss
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The 78-year-old revealed he’d been “really worried” about his memory loss on ITV’s Good Morning Britain (GMB). But he continued: “It seems to have settled down.”
In 2019, Christie first voiced fears over developing dementia.
The singer revealed he has a history of family dementia and had started using an autocue for his song lyrics.
Christie confessed at the time: “I’ve noticed for a few years now that my memory has been getting worse, which is a serious concern especially as there’s history of dementia in my family.
“It’s got to the point where I have to have the lyrics to all the songs I perform live written on autocue, and most of them I’ve been singing for half a century.
“I also need to look at the screen to check the names of my bandmates before I introduce them – even though some have played with me for over a decade.”
Dementia is not a disease itself but a collection of symptoms that result from damage to the brain caused by different diseases, for example Alzheimer’s.
Different types of dementia affect people differently, but there are some common, more general, early signs to look out for.
The NHS lists these as:
- memory loss
- difficulty concentrating
- finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
- struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
- being confused about time and place
- mood changes
The health body explains: “These symptoms are often mild and may get worse only very gradually. It’s often termed ‘mild cognitive impairment’ (MCI) as the symptoms are not severe enough to be diagnosed as dementia.
“You might not notice these symptoms if you have them, and family and friends may not notice or take them seriously for some time. In some people, these symptoms will remain the same and not worsen. But some people with MCI will go on to develop dementia.
“Dementia is not a natural part of ageing. This is why it’s important to talk to a GP sooner rather than later if you’re worried about memory problems or other symptoms.”
If you’re worried about your memory, it’s well worth talking to a GP.
“They may be able to reassure you that you don’t have dementia,” says the NHS.
“But if you do have dementia, an early diagnosis may help you get the right treatment and support in place in good time.
“Finding out sooner rather than later can also give friends and family valuable time to adjust, and prepare for the future.”
Christie also touched on the effect lockdown had on his and his colleagues’ mental health during his appearance on GMB.
He said: “It came on because of this lockdown business and panicking about that and thinking that’s my career finished – maybe show business if finished.
“All the musicians, the technical people, actors and actresses, they were all really, really down.
“Now that it’s back I’m just praying that by next year we’re back to where we were before the lockdown started.”
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