Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, fatal disease affecting as many as 5.3 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer's Association. It slowly robs a person of his memory as it destroys his brain cells, affecting his ability to work, socialize and perform daily activities. The progression of Alzheimer's disease takes its sufferers down a long road irreversible changes and decline.
Very Mild
During this stage, a person may experience episodes of slight memory loss or lapses, such as forgetting where she placed her car keys or being unable to remember familiar names or words. These episodes are usually not obvious to her friends and family, and are not obvious during a medical exam, according to the Alzheimer's Association. The symptoms of this stage can easily be chalked up to age-related changes.
Mild Cognitive Impairment
Mild cognitive impairment, as HelpGuide defines, is a period when subtle confusion begins to have an impact on daily function. During this time, friends and family may begin to notice the symptoms a person displays, regardless of his attempt to hide what is happening to him.
The most common impairments taking place in this stage include an inability to remember names when introduced to new people, an inability to retain material just read moments before, losing or misplacing valuable objects and an inability to plan or organize at work or home. She may also begin suffering from depression or other mood changes.
Moderate Decline
Moderate decline is also known as mild or early-stage Alzheimer's. During this time, a medical exam can detect deficiencies in specific areas, such as a decline in a person's knowledge of current events, an inability to complete basic tasks such as paying his bills and an inability to remember his personal history.
Additional signs include an inability to complete difficult mental arithmetic and a tendency for the patient to appear withdrawn, especially when it is a social or challenging environment for him.
Moderately Severe
Also known as moderate or mid-stage Alzheimer's, this stage causes more of a decline in the patient's abilities. She requires personal assistance to perform day-to-day activities. The Alzheimer's Association and HelpGuide concur that the patient is no longer able to function independently, becoming easily confused about where she is, the date, the day of the week or the season.
She may not have the ability to recall the names of her own spouse or children. At this point, it becomes necessary to help her choose proper clothing for the weather and assist her with eating and toileting.
Severe Decline
The inability to accurately remember the past is gone at this point, and the patient needs complete assistance for bathing, dressing and toileting. It is common for him to lose control over his bowel and bladder, and behavioral problems such as agitation and verbal outbursts occur on a more frequent basis.
Hallucinations may also occur, and the Alzheimer's patient at this stage has an increased tendency to wander, which requires closer supervision to insure his safety.
Late Stage
The final stage of the disease, late-stage Alzheimer's, causes the patient to lose her ability to respond to her environment and speak altogether. Eventually she will lose her ability to control any of her movements.
An occasional word may be spoken, but she loses her ability to walk, smile and sit up without some form of support. As the end nears, she is unable to swallow properly--increasing her risk of choking-- and and her muscles become stiff and rigid.
