Below, I have listed the Stages of Alzheimer's. Some reading material may break down AD into 3 stages, while others break it into 4 stages. Both philosophies are correct. Please keep in mind that someone may progress at a lower rate while someone else may progress quite rapidly.
The first stage consists of the
2-4 years leading up to and including the
actual diagnosis of Alzheimer's.
Recent
Memory Loss begins to affect job performances
Recent
Memory: short term memory (who just called?)
Confusion
in natural environment- gets lost in a known environment
Mood
and personality changes
Poor
judgment; makes bad decisions
Daily
tasks such as cleaning ,dressing takes longer
Trouble
handling money and/or paying bills
Losing
items such as keys, purse, wallet in unusual places
Your
loved one doesn't seem interested in life anymore
The second stage is approximately 2-10 years after diagnosis. This is the longest stage.
Memory
loss increases
Confusion
on a regular basis
Problems
recognizing family and/or friends
Repeats
statements over and over
Difficult
speaking and organizing thoughts- cannot get the words out
Makes
up stories; may feel paranoid
Reading
and writing problems
May
be suspicious, irritable, teary/sad
Hallucinate
Major
or constant weight loss or gain
The third stage is also know as the "Terminal Stage." This stage lasts approximately 1-3 years.
Cannot
recognize family/friends
Weight
loss while eating good, well balanced meals
Cannot
communicate with words
Bowl/bladder
movement problems
May
have seizures
Difficulty
swallowing
Little
ambition for self care
*Note*
We
all lose things, we all forget names, we all become lazy when it comes
to self care at one time or another. As for memory, I often hear
"But she remembers dates and things from 50 years ago... She remembers
the names of her teachers and her first pet." With AD, it is not
uncommon for the person to have the long term memory... Short term memory
is often lost. You say, "Grandma, who just telephoned?" And
Grandma can't recall the name. I found that reminiscing is fantastic
with an elderly person, even with Dementia.
People, in general,
love to talk about their past. If you try this, it is not uncommon
for names and places to be made up. I had a talk with a man that
kept talking about his dog. Later, I found out that he never had
a dog. But, he was so happy just talking and in his mind "He really
had a dog." So, you just listen, nod your head, be interested.
The loved one feels happy talking about their past and you feel happy because
the loved one is
happy. This is also known as Validation
Therapy. However, if your loved one becomes agitated, change the subject
until a later date. With AD, moods can change like in a blink
of the eye.
