Alzheimer`s is the most common type of dementia. It causes issues with the memory power, thinking, and behavior. Alzheimer`s is a progressive disease, which means that gradually over time, more parts of the brain will eventually deteriorate.
Symptoms
The symptoms are mild in the beginning, and they get worse over the course of time and start affecting the daily activities of the patient. The most common symptom of Alzheimer`s is frequent memory lapses. The patient may have difficulty in recalling certain events and learning something new. The memory starts interfering with daily life, and the patient may tend to:
- Lose items such as keys, glasses or daily use items.
- Forget someone`s name or forget bits and pieces of words that would fit in a sentence.
- Forget conversations which occurred recently or events that took place not very long ago.
- Get lost in known places
- Misses out on important dates such as birthdates, anniversaries, etc.
Memory loss and difficulties arising out of Alzheimer`s stages are the earliest symptoms. However, there are other complications that may develop, such as problems with logical reasoning, communication, aspects of thinking and perception. The patient may have difficulties with language, navigation, and judging distance. Making decisions, concentrating on something, planning, and organizing become the person’s weak points.
As the disease progresses, the patient may become irritable, anxious, depressed and may have mood swings. He will lose interest in daily activities as time progresses.
People who develop Alzheimer`s, do so after the age of 65, but people below this age can also develop it. If a person develops dementia before 65, it is called early-onset Alzheimer`s stages.
There are seven different Alzheimer’s stages
Stage 1 – Normal Outward behavior
In the early phase, your loved one will hardly have any symptoms that are noticeable. Only a PET scan (an imaging test) can reveal whether he or she has Alzheimer`s or not. The plaques and tangles may exist in the brain for several years before having any discernible effects.
Stage 2 – Very Mild Impairment
In the second stage, the affected person may start identifying symptoms related to Alzheimer`s stages. He may start having problems with memory, especially remembering a recent event. He may forget words or misplace objects in the household. The part of the brain that is responsible for converting experiences into memories is affected first by the Alzheimer`s disease.
Stage 3 – Mild Impairment
At this stage, the problems arising in the second stage get aggravated, and one can notice differences. The Alzheimer`s disease starts moving into the temporal lobe of the brain, the part that is responsible for memory and language. Damage to this part is the reason behind the difficulty in framing sentences or forgetting the right word. The patient may keep asking questions over and over again. He starts having difficulty in planning and organizing and forgets names of new people. Job performance may start getting affected, reading and retention get impaired.
In these Alzheimer`s stages, memory problems become more noticeable, and this is when a medical diagnosis is made. Depression or apathy may start setting in during this stage.
Stage 4 – Moderate Impairment
Cognitive impairment is quite severe at this stage. Friends, family, co-workers, and relatives can notice these changes too. Recent events like a holiday or a get together may start to fade away from the person`s memory. Older memories too start getting blurred. The person may even forget details of his personal history or background. He may have troubles with mathematical problems. He will start having difficulties with planning a shopping list, paying bills and handling the household finances.
Stage 5 – Moderately Severe Impairment
At this stage, it might become quite difficult for the affected individual to carry out his daily chores all by himself. He may start losing track of where he is or what time it is. He would start having difficulty in remembering his address or phone number. It is during this Alzheimer’s stage that alternative living arrangements are made. The individual may move in with a family member. It is potentially dangerous, at this stage to be living independently. Major gaps in memory become quite apparent as the disease progresses. Simple mental arithmetic becomes a challenge. Personal care and hygiene become a task. At this stage, personality and behavioral problems become pronounced.
Stage 6 – Severe Impairment
This Alzheimer’s stage is characterized by the severity of symptoms, which were noticed in the earlier Alzheimer’s stages. The individual might not remember what happened one moment ago. He might recognize faces but may forget names. He might mistake a person for someone else. Delusions start setting in. He would need help in getting dressed while going to the bathroom. Behavioural and emotional problems become disturbing, for the patient, who is suffering as well as the caregiver, who is looking after him. The person in this Alzheimer’s stage becomes aware of the fact that he is no longer independent. There may be emotional outbursts and withdrawal tendencies at this Alzheimer’s stage. He may start hallucinating, may become suspicious and paranoid. He may start wandering and may often get lost.
Stage 7 – Very Severe Impairment
This stage requires constant care and assistance. There is a loss of speech and eventual loss of control of muscles. Walking becomes difficult, even with assistance. There is difficulty in sitting up. Joint deformities take place during this last Alzheimer’s stage and hence movement becomes very painful. Eventually, even the organs stop functioning, this further leads to death.
Every individual is unique, and these seven stages affect every patient differently. Some may even show further behavioral and emotional symptoms. Death often takes place as an indirect result of Alzheimer`s, before the onset of the final Alzheimer’s stage. Infections from bedsores and pneumonia are two of the most frequent causes of death (as the body is unable to combat them).
