Alzheimers Disease Stages
The progression of Alzheimers Disease stages is
fairly well known but the movement between the stages (figuring out
which one a patient is in) and the speed of movement is quite an
individual matter. There is no one-size fits all in this
progression or length of time in each stage.Some Things to Consider
The symptoms, the order in which they appear and the severity of those symptoms will be different for each patient (as will the effect on their lives and that of their family’s)
Stages overlap so there is no clear progression between stages. And there is often a plateau - where relatively rapid decline is followed by a longer period of seemingly lack of change.
The movement from stage to stage (because of the overlapping) can be quite subtle just as the initial diagnosis may have been difficult, so too is clearly defining the individual stages.
We’re looking at a (rough) estimate of 7-10 years for the disease to progress (although there are variations out of the average).
From a family point of view, the patient is losing ability but all care providers emphasize it is important for the family to support the patient by focussing attention on the abilities the patient is left with rather than emphasizing what has been lost.
The Stages
Early Stage
Mild impairment including (but not limited to) forgetfulness, problems expressing themselves, changes in mood or behavior. At this early stage, the patient requires minimal care and assistance. They likely have some sense of what’s happening and can discuss the problem and help with directing care plans.
Middle Stage
This second of Alzheimers disease stages is where serious decline begins, memory declines and other cognitive abilities continue to deteriorate. At this stage, the person may still retain the knowledge of the problem but clearly requires help in daily living.
Later Stages
The disease progresses, the patient loses knowledge of their memory loss, increasing amounts of care are required for daily living, generally a 24/7 level of care is required to handle an increasing level of tasks the patient can no longer accomplish. Some physical symptoms begin e.g. incontinence and communication abilities deteriorate. The patient loses a sense of location, getting lost easily.
End of Life
At this stage, the person increasingly stops functioning in the world and nursing care is increasingly required for feeding and personal care. The person stops walking and continues to physically decline. The focus on care at this point is quality of life and comfort.
There is a Global Deterioration Scale that you may find useful because it tends to pinpoint in greater accuracy this deterioration and can be used for discussions with physicians.
But the above are the main Alzheimers disease stages that are commonly used by support people to discuss the patient’s needs.
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