Constant movement of the hands could be a warning sign of advanced dementia, experts have said.
Roughly 900,000 people in the UK are affected by dementia, and early signs are often confused with normal ageing.
While memory difficulties and confusion are widely recognised, hand behaviours may be missed or misunderstood.
The Alzheimer’s Society said people in later stages of dementia may behave out of character.
The charity said: “Many people with dementia become restless and may fidget or pace up and down.
“They may constantly wring their hands, pull at their clothes or touch themselves inappropriately in public.
This could be because of pain or discomfort, needing the toilet, a need for more physical activity or problems with their environment.
“It may also be because the person used to move around a lot as part of their job.”
The charity said these behaviours can be difficult to understand and often have different causes.
It suggested encouraging exercise or activities related to the person’s interests and hobbies, both new and from their past, as a way to help manage them.
The charity added: “A rummage box, containing objects related to the person’s past such as pictures, jewellery or souvenirs, may help as it gives the person an opportunity to move their hands.”
Other symptoms of dementia include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, problems carrying out familiar tasks such as getting confused over correct change, struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word, confusion about time and place and mood changes.
