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    Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

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    randy
    Alzheimer's disease typically progresses through three stages - early, middle, and late. In the early stage, people may still function independently but have minor memory issues. The middle stage is usually the longest, where greater assistance is needed with daily activities. In the late stage, individuals require extensive care and lose awareness of their surroundings. The progression varies per person, so it's important to focus on their abilities rather than limitations at each stage.

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    Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

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    randy
    85 views3 pages
    Alzheimer's disease typically progresses through three stages - early, middle, and late. In the early stage, people may still function independently but have minor memory issues. The middle stage is usually the longest, where greater assistance is needed with daily activities. In the late stage, individuals require extensive care and lose awareness of their surroundings. The progression varies per person, so it's important to focus on their abilities rather than limitations at each stage.

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    Alzheimer Stages

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    alz.org

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    Alzheimer's disease typically progresses through three stages - early, middle, and late. In the early stage, people may still function independently but have minor memory issues. The middle stage is usually the longest, where greater assistance is needed with daily activities. In the late stage, individuals require extensive care and lose awareness of their surroundings. The progression varies per person, so it's important to focus on their abilities rather than limitations at each stage.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    85 views3 pages

    Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

    Uploaded by

    randy
    Alzheimer's disease typically progresses through three stages - early, middle, and late. In the early stage, people may still function independently but have minor memory issues. The middle stage is usually the longest, where greater assistance is needed with daily activities. In the late stage, individuals require extensive care and lose awareness of their surroundings. The progression varies per person, so it's important to focus on their abilities rather than limitations at each stage.

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    Stages of Alzheimer’s disease

    Alzheimer’s disease typically progresses slowly in three general stages: early, middle
    and late (sometimes referred to as mild, moderate and severe in a medical context).
    Since Alzheimer’s affects people in different ways, each person may experience
    symptoms — or progress through the stages — differently.
    Overview of disease progression
    Changes in the brain related to Alzheimer’s begin years before any signs of the
    disease. This time period, which can last for years, is referred to as preclinical
    Alzheimer's disease. Symptoms then worsen, with the rate of disease progression
    varying from person to person. On average, an individual with Alzheimer’s lives four
    to eight years after diagnosis but can live as long as 20 years depending on age and
    other health conditions.

    The three stages provide an overall idea of how abilities change once symptoms
    appear and should only be used as a general guide. Because stages can overlap, it may
    be difficult to place a person with Alzheimer's in a specific stage. As abilities change
    through the progression of the disease, it’s important to focus more on what a person
    can still do rather than what they cannot, so that the person can live as well as
    possible with dementia.

    Early-stage Alzheimer’s
    In the early stage of Alzheimer's, a person may function independently. He or she
    may still drive, work and take part in social activities. Despite this, the person may
    feel as if he or she is having memory lapses, such as forgetting familiar words or the
    location of everyday objects. Symptoms may not be widely apparent at this stage, but
    family and close friends may take notice and a doctor would be able to identify
    symptoms using certain diagnostic tools.

    Common difficulties may include:


     Coming up with the right word or name.
     Remembering names when introduced to new people.
     Having difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings.
     Forgetting material that was just read.
     Losing or misplacing a valuable object.
     Experiencing increased trouble with planning or organizing.

    During the early stage, it’s possible for people with dementia to live well by taking
    control of their health and wellness, and focusing their energy on aspects of their life
    that are most meaningful to them. In addition, this is the ideal time to put legal,
    financial and end-of-life plans in place because the person with dementia will be able
    to participate in decision-making.
    Middle-stage Alzheimer’s
    Middle-stage Alzheimer's is typically the longest stage and can last for many
    years. As the disease progresses, the person living with Alzheimer's will require a
    greater level of care. During this stage, the person may confuse words, get frustrated
    or angry, and act in unexpected ways, such as refusing to bathe. Damage to nerve
    cells in the brain can also make it difficult for the person to express thoughts and
    perform routine tasks without assistance.

    Symptoms, which vary from person to person, may include:


     Being forgetful of events or personal history.
     Feeling moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging
    situations.
     Being unable to recall information about themselves like their address or
    telephone number, and the high school or college they attended.
     Experiencing confusion about where they are or what day it is.
     Requiring help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion.
     Having trouble controlling their bladder and bowels.
     Experiencing changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping during the day and
    becoming restless at night.
     Showing an increased tendency to wander and become lost.
     Demonstrating personality and behavioral changes, including suspiciousness
    and delusions or compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing or tissue
    shredding.

    In the middle stage, the person living with Alzheimer’s can still participate in daily
    activities with assistance. It’s important to find out what the person can still do or find
    ways to simplify tasks. As the need for more intensive care increases, caregivers may
    want to consider respite care or an adult day center so they can have a temporary
    break from caregiving while the person living with Alzheimer’s continues to receive
    care in a safe environment.

    Late-stage Alzheimer’s
    In the final stage of the disease, individuals lose the ability to respond to their
    environment, to carry on a conversation and, eventually, to control movement. They
    may still say words or phrases, but communicating pain becomes difficult. As
    memory and cognitive skills further decline, personality changes may take place and
    individuals need extensive care.

    At this stage, individuals may:


     Require around-the-clock assistance with daily personal care.
     Lose awareness of recent experiences as well as of their surroundings.
     Experience changes in physical abilities, including walking, sitting and,
    eventually, swallowing.
     Have difficulty communicating.
     Become vulnerable to infections, especially pneumonia.

    The person living with Alzheimer’s may not be able to initiate engagement as much
    during the late stage, but he or she can still benefit from interaction in ways that are
    appropriate, like listening to relaxing music or receiving reassurance through gentle
    touch. During this stage, caregivers may want to use support services, such as hospice
    care, which focus on providing comfort and dignity at the end of life. Hospice can be
    of great benefit to people in the final stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementias and
    their families.

    Resources
     To learn more about the stages of Alzheimer’s disease, visit alz.org/stages.
     To learn more about caregiving and options for care, visit alz.org/care.
     To find resources in your area, visit Community Resource Finder at
    alz.org/CRF.

    TS-0050 | Updated June 2018

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