Alzheimer’s Disease is not a simple disorder. Once diagnosed by a professional like Best Neurologist in Lahore, its progression is variable. Healthcare experts have classified the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease into seven stages and the management is done according to these stages. Read on to find what these stages of Alzheimer’s Disease are:
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder causing the brain cells to die and the brain tissue to shrink and atrophy. As a consequence, there is continuous decline in brain function, including memory loss, behavioral changes, decrease in reasoning ability, errors in judgment and difficulty in planning and performing activities of daily living.
Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease need round-the-clock care because, often, with disease progression, the patients forget their identity, sense of self, and even have difficulty in communicating, eating, and dressing themselves. Such patients develop mood changes, delusions and distrust in others. Consequently, they withdraw socially and prefer to remain by themselves. Alzheimer’s Disease is also a difficult disease for the family of the patient as the patient is unable to recognize his closed ones.
What are the risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s Disease may be a disease of old age, but not all the elderly people develop Alzheimer’s. Certain risk factors predispose one to this type of dementia. These risk factors include:
- Head trauma
- Poor sleeping habits
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Positive family history
- Down syndrome
What are the stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?
There are seven stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. These include:
- Stage one: normal behavior outwardly
In this stage, the disease is usually silent, but brain changes have begun. These changes can only be identified on PET scan imaging that reveal mild onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.
- Stage two: mild behavioral changes
No outwardly changed behavior is evident in this stage as well. However, the patient may notice that they are forgetting words and misplacing their things more often. Even a healthcare provider has difficulty identifying disease onset at this stage. During these stages, dementia doesn’t interfere with activities of daily living.
- Stage three: mild decline in mental activity
With mild decline, the symptoms become more noticeable. You may notice a decrease in the reasoning and thinking ability of the patient. The patient may forget something they just read or ask the same question over and over again. At this stage, the patient start having difficulty in remembering names, and making plans.
- Stage four: moderate decline in mental activity
With stage four decline, the symptoms become more obvious and the patient:
- starts to forget personal details
- how to write a check
- not understanding what is said to them
- forgetting the season and the month
- struggling with appliances and devices
At this stage, the patient needs help with daily chores and it is unsafe for them to drive.
- Stage five: moderately severe decline in mental activity
The personal details like name, address and phone number become even foggier at this stage. As with the previous stage, they are unable to dress themselves appropriately for the occasion and the weather. It is helpful for the patient if their caretaker reassures them and stays with them.
- Stage six: severe decline in mental activity
With progression to the sixth stage of disease, the patient starts to forget the faces and the names. Often, delusions set in and they become aggressive. At this stage, the patient has trouble with:
- Going to the bathroom
- Eating
- Communicating
- Walking
- Stage seven: very severe decline in mental activity
In the last stage of Alzheimer’s Disease, the patient can no longer even tell if they are thirsty. Thus, the caregiver needs to pay special attention to all the needs of the patient.
Neurologist in Rawalpindi help Alzheimer’s patients with early diagnosis and management of disease. As the disease progresses, such patients are at risk of other diseases like pneumonia, weight loss and skin infections and need frequent medical care.
