Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disease that slowly develops and gradually worsens over several years. If you have a loved one who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, their memory, cognition or personality will be affected depending on the stage of the disease they are at. However, even though there is an Alzheimer’s trajectory that most patients follow, not everyone will experience the same symptoms due to unique differences in how they are affected by the disease. Here are the seven typical stages of Alzheimer’s that you should know about.
Stage One: No Cognitive Impairment
In the first stage, Alzheimer’s disease is usually undetectable as a person with Alzheimer’s does not show any memory impairment. This stage is also known as ‘no cognitive decline’ or ‘pre-clinical Alzheimer’s disease’, and likely begins 10 to 15 years before symptoms start to become noticeable. There is currently no treatment in this pre-clinical stage.
Stage Two: Very Mild Cognitive Decline
In this stage, your loved ones may experience memory lapses that can look like normal age-related forgetfulness. They may still perform well on memory tests so at this stage, the disease is also unlikely to be detected. Your loved ones may start forgetting people’s names or where they have placed their items around the house. However, they can still drive, work or continue performing daily tasks without assistance.
Stage Three: Mild Cognitive Decline
In stage three, your loved ones will begin to encounter problems when they need to make plans or do some organization. They may also have trouble remembering the names of people they have just met and are likely to ask the same questions over and over again. At this stage, physicians will be able to detect impaired cognitive function. Symptoms in stage three will usually manifest approximately seven years after the onset of the disease.
Stage Four: Moderate Cognitive Decline
During this period, the cognitive problems you have noticed in your loved ones in stage three will become more apparent. Your loved ones will have difficulty remembering certain details about themselves, and will likely experience poor short-term memory such as forgetting what they ate for breakfast. They may also lose their ability to manage their finances or pay their bills.
Stage Five: Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline
In the previous stages, your loved ones are still able to perform their day-to-day activities without assistance. However, in this stage, your loved ones may face difficulties like getting dressed and recalling simple details like their phone number and home address. Other symptoms that may be observed in this stage include hallucinations, delusions and paranoia.
Stage Six: Severe Cognitive Decline
In this stage, patients will require constant supervision and professional care. They may experience bladder and bowel incontinence and have diminished speech ability. They will also likely need assistance with daily activities like showering or dressing and grooming themselves. Some patients may also suffer from delusions and constant anxiety.
Stage Seven: Very Severe Cognitive Decline
In this final stage of Alzheimer’s disease, most patients would have lost their ability to speak or communicate. They also often require round-the-clock assistance with their day-to-day activities. At this stage, as much as they want to, many families find that they are no longer able to provide quality care for their loved ones at home.
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At Discovery Village At Southlake, we provide the highest standards of senior living through around-the-clock housekeeping and maintenance services, personal assistance services, medical and nursing care, and health and wellness programs. We also specialize in taking care of residents who suffer from all kinds of dementia-related illnesses. In fact, we are one of the 36 senior living communities in the country to offer the award-winning SHINE® Memory Care program. If you are looking for a senior living community that provides specialized care for your loved one with Alzheimer’s, learn more about our memory care program today!
