Understanding The Stages Of Alzheimer’s


Alzheimer's disease develops slowly and worsens over time. It can last for a number of years, even decades, and will affect most areas of the brain. Areas affected by the disease include memory, judgment, thinking, problem-solving, language, personality, movement, and personality. Alzheimer's has five stages associated with it. There is preclinical Alzheimer's, mild cognitive impairment due to the disease, mild dementia due to Alzheimer's, moderate dementia due to the disease, and severe dementia due to Alzheimer's. The term dementia describes a group of symptoms that affect social and intellectual abilities severely so that they interfere with daily functions. Knowing the stages may help you and your family understand what may happen. Green Valley Home Care has some useful info for you;

1. Preclinical Alzheimer's begins before any symptoms are apparent. This stage is mostly identified in research settings. No one will be aware of the occurrence of this stage. It can last for up to ten years with unnoticed changes. Only imaging technologies can identify the protein deposits in the brain linked to Alzheimer's disease.

2. Older adults in the mild cognitive impairment stage due to Alzheimer's will have changes in memory and thinking. These changes are not enough to affect the relationship's work yet. The older adult may have memory lapses when it comes to conversations, appointments, and recent events. They may have difficulty judging the amount of time, and the sequence of steps needed to complete a task.

3. Mild dementia due to Alzheimer's stage is when family and doctors become aware that the older adult is having difficulty with thinking and memory that impacts daily functioning. The older adult may also experience difficulty expressing thoughts, and personality changes, and may get lost or misplace their belongings. They will have difficulty finding their way around familiar places that Live in Care Green Valley.

4. In the moderate due of Alzheimer's stage the older adult grows more forgetful and confused. They need more assistance with self-care and daily activities. They have an increase in poor judgment and confusion, and they have greater memory loss. Older adult undergoes significant changes in their personality and behavior. They often become agitated and restless late in the day and may exhibit outbursts of aggressive physical behaviors.

5. Severe dementia due to Alzheimer's disease is the last stage of the disease. In this stage, the reduction of mental function continues, and it has a growing impact on physical capabilities and movement. Older adult loses the ability to communicate so they are understood, and they need daily assistance with personal care. They will experience a reduction in their physical abilities like being unable to walk without being assisted, and unable to sit or hold their head up without support. By this stage, their muscles have become rigid, and have abnormal reflexes.

Home Care Green Valley advises you to understand the five stages of Alzheimer's disease that can help you better care for your senior loved one who has the disease. These are generalizations of the stages, and the rate of progression will vary for each individual. People with Alzheimer's will generally live from 3 to 11 years after diagnosis.

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