A new study led by University College London reveals that people with dementia typically wait 3 1/2 years from initial symptoms to hear an official diagnosis—a delay that stretches to 4.1 years for those facing early-onset forms,

Why does it take years to diagnose dementia? A study finds that on average, it takes 3.5 years after symptoms first appear to get a dementia diagnosis and that multiple factors affect this timeline.

Dementia typically causes memory loss, thinking difficulties, and behavioural changes. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia.