Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

This phase happens long before any symptoms are apparent.  You and those around you will not notice symptoms during this phase. However, amyloid plaques and tangles are slowly forming. 

During this phase people grow more confused and forgetful.  They begin to need more help with daily activities of self-care.

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• Show increasingly poor judgment and deepening confusion: Individuals lose track of where they are, the day or week, or season. They may confuse family members or close friends with one another or mistake strangers for family.  They may wander, possibly in search of familiar surroundings or to find people they know. These behaviors make it difficult to leave on their own. 

• Experience greater memory loss: people may forget details of their lives such as their address, phone number, where they live. They may repeat favorite stories or make up stories to fill gaps in their memory. 

• Need help with some daily activities: they need help choosing proper clothes for the weather or occasion. They may need help with bathing and other self care activities. 

• Undergo significant changes in personality and behavior: it is not uncommon for people to develop unfounded suspicions. They may believe people close to them are stealing from them. Others may see or hear things that are not there. 

People in this stage have mild changes in their memory and thinking ability. These changes are not significant enough to affect work or relationships. People with MCI may have memory lapses when it comes to information that is usually remembered. This may include conversations, recent events or appointments. They may have trouble judging the amount of time needed for task, or make sound decisions. 

In the late stage of the disease mental function continues to decline. The disease also has a growing impact on movement and physical capabilities. 

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Lose the ability to communicate: people can longer speak or they are not making sense. 

They require daily assistance with personal care

Experience a decline in physical abilities. Standing and walking are now difficult and they may need assistance to walk and stand.  They may not be able to hold their heads up and their bodies can become rigid. Sometimes diet changes. Where once they could eat regular foods but now they need to eat mechanical soft diet or purred foods due to choking danger. 

Alzheimer's is often diagnosed in the mild dementia stage. This is when it becomes clear to family and a doctor that a person is having significant trouble with memory and thinking. The symptoms impact daily functioning. 

People may experience the following:

• ​Memory loss of recent events: people may have a hard time remembering newly learned information. They may ask the same question over and over. 

• Trouble with problem solving, complex tasks and sound judgements: People may experience lapses in judgement, when make financial decisions.

• Changes in personality: People may become subdued or withdrawn, especially in socially challenging situations. They may be irritable or angry when it is not typical for them.  Reduced motivation to complete tasks is also common. 

• Trouble organizing and expressing thoughts: People may not be able to find the right words to describe objects. 

• Getting lost or misplacing belongings: people have a hard time finding their way around even in familiar places. It is also common to lose or misplace things, including valuable items.