If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, it can be hard to know how to move forward. Everything from life expectancy to disease management can seem uncertain. During this challenging time, it’s important to arm yourself with knowledge to better shape a care strategy for your loved one. A good place to start is by understanding the stages of Alzheimer’s: mild, moderate, and severe.
Understanding the Stages of Alzheimer’s
Early Stage Alzheimer’s Disease
The Alzheimer’s Association reports that the earliest stage of Alzheimer’s disease may only involve mild cognitive decline. For that reason, Alzheimer’s symptoms may go unnoticed at first. Your loved one may still work, care for themselves independently, or drive during this time. Still, you’ll likely begin to notice a variety of cognitive difficulties:
- Trouble planning or organizing events, appointments, or other daily activities
- Trouble remembering names of people or objects
- Forgetting sentences immediately after reading them
- Losing or misplacing important objects like keys, wallets, or ID cards
Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease
Moderate or middle-stage Alzheimer’s is typically the longest stage of the disease. Sometimes this stage can last for years – even a decade or more. During the moderate stage, Alzheimer’s patients have much more pronounced symptoms. At this point, your loved one may struggle with daily tasks like taking medication or paying bills; however, they may still remember details, like names of loved ones or their wedding anniversary. An important part of understanding the stages of Alzheimer’s is exercising patience. This is especially important during this middle stage, when you may also notice your loved one becoming frustrated as a result of damage to the brain’s nerve cells. There are several other symptoms that you may notice during the moderate stage of the disease:
- Poor short-term memory – your loved one may not recall if they took a medication or brushed their teeth
- Trouble remembering small details like their own address or phone number
- Trouble controlling bladder and bowels
- Changes in sleep patterns
You may also notice some personality or behavioral changes during this stage:
- Feeling moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations
- Compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing
- Suspiciousness and delusions
Advanced Alzheimer’s Disease
Symptoms are severe in the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease. At this point, caregiving may become difficult, as your loved one will likely require round-the-clock care. Individuals in the final stages of Alzheimer’s typically lose many of their motor functions, making it difficult or impossible to carry on a conversation or control movement. During this stage, you’ll notice significant personality changes, along with a variety of other symptoms:
- Increased difficulty communicating, including communicating pain
- The need for constant assistance with personal care
- Loss of awareness of their surroundings
- Changes in physical abilities (walking, sitting, and swallowing)
- Vulnerability to infections like pneumonia
_____
Understanding the stages of Alzheimer’s is an important step in disease management. Another important step may be identifying a memory care facility to keep your loved one safe and comfortable as their disease progresses. Memory care facilities can help you and your loved one navigate the stages of Alzheimer’s in a safe, comforting environment staffed by memory care experts.
If you are looking for a memory care facility in Riverview, Florida, we invite you to tour our community, meet our friendly staff, and see our amenities firsthand. Overlooking the Alafia River on twelve beautiful acres, the Crossings at Riverview offers a relaxing atmosphere, and our talented team is committed to cultivating a welcoming and vibrant community. Our goal is to make our community feel like home for all of our residents. To schedule a tour, call 813-671-0222 or contact us online. We look forward to meeting you!