Stages of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer’s disease progresses differently in each person who suffers from it so symptoms vary from person to person and may occur at various times. The disease can last as long as 20 years.

Stage 1: Stage one is described as a normal adult with no decline in function or memory.

Stage 2: A normal older adult who is aware of his or her functional decline.  You may notice complaints of memory loss and the forgetting names of family and friends.

Stage 3: The signs of the disease now become more noticeable. Anxiety often becomes a key feature as the individual becomes aware of his symptoms and situation. Denial is common at this stage. The Alzheimer’s sufferer may get lost while in an unfamiliar area, or perform at a lower level if still employed. There’s difficulty in word finding and remembering names of new people, objects, and places. Misplacing or losing valuable objects is common, along with the inability to concentrate effectively.

Stage 4: The sufferer begins to need help with complicated tasks such as handling finances. He may have problems remembering parts of his life and past events. Usually at this stage sufferers have trouble concentrating and travelling. Often the person attempts to avoid dealing with difficult or challenging situations.

Stage 5: Described as moderate Alzheimer’s disease, the sufferer can no longer cope without assistance. He’ll require help choosing appropriate clothes to wear. There’s some disorientation in time now. You may notice that when questioned, he’ll be unable to remember important information about his current life although he can still recall significant information about himself and his family.

Stage 6: By this stage, the sufferer starts to forget large amounts of knowledge about himself and his surroundings. You may notice he forgets the name of his spouse, or he may require assistance with dressing, bathing properly and toileting. Often during this stage, urinary incontinence and disturbed sleeping patterns become noticeable

Stage 7: Known as severe Alzheimer’s disease, the person’s ability to speak properly becomes limited to approximately six or seven words. Intelligible vocabulary is often limited to a single word. The ability to walk, sit up, smile, and eventually even the ability to hold up his head also deteriorates and eventually is lost. The brain now appears to fail as it’s no longer capable of telling the body what to do.

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