Alzheimers Stages
Guidelines and Signs
The Alzheimers stages are described below. They come from a system developed by Barry Reisberg, M.D., clinical director of the New York University School of Medicine's Silberstein Aging and Dementia Research Center. They are guidelines. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms or have them at the same rate and the stages may overlap.At the end of this page I share the signs of Alzheimers that showed up in my mother Maria. She is now 91 and was diagnosed in 2002 with Alzheimer’s,
a type of dementia.
Now, her Alzheimer's is in "Stage 7" or the "Late stage".
Alzheimers Stages: 1
No impairment (normal function). The person does not experience any memory problems. A medical professional does not see any evidence of symptoms of dementia
Alzheimers Stages: 2
Very mild cognitive (memory) decline (may be a normal age-related change or earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease). The person may feel as if he or she is forgetting things like familiar words or where everyday things are found. No symptoms of dementia is noticed during a medical examination or by friends, family or co-workers
Alzheimers Stages: 3
Mild cognitive decline (early-stage Alzheimer's can be diagnosed by a medical exam in some, but not all, individuals). Friends, family or co-workers begin to notice problems. During a detailed medical interview, doctors may be able to detect memory or concentration difficulty. Stage 3 difficulties include:• Noticing that it is hard to come up with the right word or name • Trouble remembering names when introduced to new people when before it was not so hard • Noticing greater difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings. Forgetting what that one has just read • Losing or misplacing an important object • Having more difficulty with planning or organizing
Alzheimers Stages: 4
Moderate cognitive decline(Mild or early-stage Alzheimer's disease). A careful medical interview should be able to detect clear-cut problems in several areas:• Forgetfulness of what happened recently • Blocked ability to do challenging mental math, like counting backward from 100 by 7s for those who could do it before • Complex tasks, like planning a dinner for guests, paying bills or managing finances becomes harder • Forgetting parts of one's own personal history • Becoming moody or withdrawn, especially in social or mental situations that where they don’t know what to do or say
Alzheimers Stages: 5
Moderately severe cognitive decline(Moderate or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease). Gaps in memory and thinking are noticeable, and individuals begin to need help with day-to-day activities. Those with Alzheimer's disease may:• Not be able to remember their own address or telephone number or the high school or college from which they graduated • Now become confused about where they are or what day it is • Now have trouble with less complicated math; like counting backward from 40 by subtracting 4s or from 20 by 2s • Now need help choosing appropriate clothing for the season or the occasion • Still remember important details about themselves and their family • Be eating or using the toilet without help
Alzheimers Stages: 6
Severe cognitive decline (Moderately severe or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease). Memory continues to worsen, personality may change and individuals need much help with daily activities. At this stage, individuals may:• Lose awareness of something that just happened as well as of their surroundings • Remember their own name but have trouble with their personal history • Tell the difference between familiar and unfamiliar faces but have trouble remembering the name of a spouse or caregiver • Need help dressing properly. Without help the may make mistakes such as putting pajamas over daytime clothes or shoes on the wrong feet • Experience big changes in sleep patterns — sleeping during the day and becoming restless at night • Need help with the details of toileting (flushing the toilet, wiping or disposing of tissue properly) • Frequently have more trouble controlling their bladder or bowels • Experience big personality/behavior changes, including being suspicious and having delusions (like believing that their caregiver is an impostor) or compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing or tissue shredding • Tend to wander or become lost
Alzheimers Stages: 7
Very severe cognitive decline(Severe or late-stage Alzheimer's disease). In the final stage, individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, to carry on a conversation and, eventually, to control movement. They may still say words or phrases. They need help with most of their daily personal care, including eating or using the toilet. They may also lose the ability to smile, to sit without support and to hold their heads up. Reflexes become abnormal. Muscles grow stiff. Swallowing becomes difficult.Unfortunately as of today, the
causes of Alzheimers
that bring about the deterioration of the brain, memory and changes in behavior are still unknown. However, together we can look for clues in the similarities found in
the life stories
of those with Alzheimers. Below is an opportunity for you to share your personal experiences and observations of the signs of Alzheimer's. Your contributions are greatly appreciated! You can also read what others shared and leave comments.
What Were Some Early Signs of Alzheimers?
Sometimes we only notice things in hindsight. Looking back I see that there were early signs of Alzheimers that I missed. I will share these with you.
If you are also a caregiver/family member of someone with Alzheimers, I invite you to share your observations. What did you notice during the various stages of Alzheimers?
Help others to be better informed. Share your experience! Any bits of learned wisdom you can offer are greatly appreciated!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
What is "Normal" in Old Age?
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Of all the Alzheimers stages, the first is the hardest to recognize. People forget things sometimes. It's "normal". My mother, Maria, would forget things....
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