Alzheimer's disease--a form of dementia--is a progressive and degenerative disease. It causes a gradual decline in a person's cognitive abilities over a period of 7 to 10 years, according to the Mayo Clinic. Not only does it rob a person of his memory, but also of his ability to move, speak, reason and make sound judgments. Alzheimer's is characterized by the stages patients progress through. There is currently no cure.
Level Two
This is the initial level at which Alzheimer's may become apparent--level one refers to the time in which no impairment is present. When experiencing minimal impairment, the patient may have momentary lapses in memory but can hide them well from friends and family. Half of the population over age 65 begins noticing problems recalling words or have difficulty concentrating, note the health experts at HelpGuide. For this reason, it can be difficult to say whether symptoms are signs of level two Alzheimer's or part of the normal aging process.
Level Three
Known in the medical community as mild decline, level three Alzheimer's brings about more obvious changes and problems with a person's memory. At this stage the patient can no longer hide these changes from her family and her cognitive deficiencies will be obvious to a doctor during a regular medical exam.
The patient may have a difficult time finding the right word or name to use when speaking and she may frequently misplace valuable objects or lose her ability to properly organize and plan. Her ability to learn and retain something new is also hindered.
Level Four
Level four is known as mild Alzheimer's and is characterized by a patient's decline in cognitive ability and memory. He can no longer perform challenging math problems, such as counting backward from 75 by sevens, and has no memory of recent events, according to the Alzheimer's Association. His own personal memory is vague as well, and while he still knows himself and his family members, he has undeniable problems performing simple tasks including ordering food from a restaurant or cooking at home.
Level Five
This is the middle of the disease, and at this point, the patient's gaps in memory are larger and more evident. Her ability to care for herself independently declines and day-to-day assistance is required. This is due in part to her confusion about the date, time and place. She may need help choosing proper clothing according to the weather and in preparing her meals. Safety is an issue as well, and in most cases, she should not be left alone due to concerns of poor judgment, notes the Mayo Clinic.
Level Six
At this point, the patient's memory becomes worse and major behavioral and personality changes begin to occur. During level six the patient's ability to use the bathroom alone and bathe himself declines significantly and his need for constant assistance increases.
Loss of bowel and bladder control begins, and while he may forget the names of his close family members and caregivers, he still has the ability to remember their faces. He will become agitated easily, and frequent verbal and/or physical outbursts become more common. He may begin hallucinating during the later stages of this level, note the HelpGuide experts.
Level Seven
Level seven is the final level of Alzheimer's and the most severe. During this stage, communication is limited to mumbles, moans or cries as the patient's ability to speak is all but gone, according to the Alzheimer's Association and the HelpGuide health experts. Her body systems begin to shut down, hindering her ability to swallow food safely. Bedridden most of the time, she is unable to sit up without support and requires constant care for all activities of daily living.
