6 Stages Of Alzheimer’s Disease That A Caregiver Must Know About

With old age, there are numerous types of diseases that start showing their signs in our bodies. So, when your loved ones are growing older, you will start seeing those ailments slowly and gradually creeping in and making life more difficult for them. One such disease is Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease and it gradually becomes worse. It has its effects on memory, thinking, language and communication, problem-solving ability and overall life. The personality of your loved ones and their movements can also get affected by this disease. Now, when you are staying away from your loved ones and have hired someone for home care services, it is necessary for them to know about the stages of Alzheimer’s so that they can handle it properly.

Stage One – No Impairment:

At this stage, the patient will not show any signs of cognitive decline or dementia. There will be no loss of memory or any other sign that might indicate that the patient is suffering from Alzheimer’s. At this stage the disease remains undetected.

Stage Two- Very Mild Cognitive Decline:

During this stage, aging people start forgetting general things. Maybe they will be forgetting the keys or turning the lights off. These symptoms might generally get ignored. But when it comes to a serious condition like Alzheimer’s, it is necessary that you pay attention to them. For patients in such stages, there is no need for hospice. So, for that, you can go for home instead senior care.

Stage Three – Mild Cognitive Decline:

At this stage, the cognitive decline becomes pretty apparent. The patient starts forgetting a lot of things which can take a toll on their daily work. At the same time, this stage can cause serious issues with communication as well. From ordinary household works to maintaining complex records, finding the right words while talking can become tough when your loved one is going through this stage. The duration of this stage can get extended to seven years too.

Stage Four- Moderate Cognitive Disease:

A patient in this stage will be going through the early onset of dementia. They will find it challenging to remember recent events or regular conversations. Keeping up with the financial records can be difficult in this stage of Alzheimer’s. The patient might start behaving withdrawn from the family members. They will need the assistance from you or the caregiver for seniors you are hiring.

Moderately Severe Dementia:

At this stage, it will become really difficult for your loved ones to remember anything important. The memory deficit at this stage can be really serious and impactful. Forgetting home address, phone number and even orientation or day and place can be blurred completely. In this stage, whenever they are leaving home, it is necessary that they have company.

Severe Cognitive Decline:

At this final stage, the patient loses all their ability to communicate and even perform their daily tasks. You will need to connect with a senior home care service so that they can help your elderly loved one with eating, dressing, bathing, and other daily activities. This stage can last for two and half years.

So, now as you know about different stages of Alzheimer’s, talk about it with your caregiver too so that they can help you and the loved ones deal with this serious situation.