Terri Ann Witham

• 1: Home
• 2: Alzheimer's Disease
  • 2.1: Information
    • 2.1.1: Don't Be Embarrassed
    • 2.1.2: Overview of Alzheimer's Disease
    • 2.1.3: Signs and Symptoms
    • 2.1.4: Three Stages of AD
    • 2.1.5: Diagnosing AD
• 3: Contact

Three Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's Disease progresses through three stages. People with Alzheimer's Disease have changes in the brain that may begin 10 to 20 years before there are visible signs or symptoms. The first visible sign of Alzheimer's Disease is memory loss. The three stages are categorized as mild, moderate or severe. These stages are characterized by a collection of signs, symptoms and behaviors that people with Alzheimer's Disease experience.

First Stage - Mild

People with mild symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease often seem very healthy. Early signs and symptoms in this stage are easily confused with normal changes that take place in the elderly. Some changes that will be noticed during the mild stage include:

• Difficulty in learning and remembering new information
• Difficulty in taking care of their finances, planning meals and taking medications on schedule
• Some people in this stage may exhibit sadness or depression
• The individual may get lost going to familiar places
• The individual may still be able to do most daily activities

Second Stage - Moderate

In the moderate stage of Alzheimer's Disease the damaging process in the brain gets worse and spreads to other areas of the brain. It attacks the area that controls language, reasoning, and sensory processing. The signs and symptoms in this stage become more pronounced and behavioral changes may be readily observed.

Some signs and symptoms are as follows:

• The individual may continually repeat the same stories
• The individual may keep asking the same question over and over
• The individual may experience difficulty using the shower or toilet
• Behavioral issues become common during this stage, including:
  • Restlessness
  • Wandering
  • Paranoia
  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions
• The individual may exhibit a noticeable lack of concern for their appearance, hygiene and sleep

Third Stage - Severe

During the last stage of Alzheimer's Disease damage to the brain's nerve cells is widespread. When people reach this stage of the disease they usually need full-time care. This is the most difficult stage for everyone involved. Signs and symptoms exhibited during the severe stage of Alzheimer's Disease include:

• Refusing to eat
• Inappropriately crying out
• Inability to recognize family and friends
• Problems with daily living activities

The stages of Alzheimer's Disease provide a helpful framework to understand the disease progression. However, it must be remembered that these stages sometimes overlap and the distinctions between them may blur.