Stage one is the earliest or beginning stage.
Many people at this stage are undiagnosed. This is a time family members start
to notice that their loved one is a little forgetful. Most people at this stage
are still living alone or with a spouse.
The next stage is stage two. It is at this
stage many people are initially diagnosed. Spouses and other family members
notice more forgetfulness, and more difficulty with daily tasks; ie balancing
the checkbook, following directions, etc. At this stage you have some people
who can continue living at home with the help of spouses, family, and home
health agencies; but you also have people who qualify for assisted living
residences. People at this stage often need only cueing or reminders to perform
most tasks. While people at this stage repeat questions and tales multiple
times they usually do not wander away from the location where they are living.
Though they may need reminders for activities of daily living because they are
not yet wondering they do not yet require a locked residence.
Both stage one and stage two are considered
mild dementiaand it is at these levels that medications
are of the most benefit. That is because the medications available now only
slow the progression of the illness. There are currently no known medications
to completely stop or reverse the progression of the illness.
The middle stage is also known as stage three
is the beginning of moderate Dementia. In this stage, people have begun to
wander off. Most are still mobile though balance could be an issue.
Incontinence often begins at this stage. People require instruction and
guidance worded in simple steps provided one step at a time to follow
instructions or cues. It is at this stage that memory loss becomes the most
obvious, as they begin to fail to recognize family and friends. Nutrition can
become an issue as people are likely to forget to eat or get up and wander away
from the table before finishing their meal. Because of the tendency to
wonderful people at this stage need constant supervision or a locked unit in a
Dementia Care Residence.
Stage four is the end of moderate Dementia.
For most mobility and balance have become an issue, as has their ability to
follow even the simplest directions. At this stage, people often do not
recognize their closest family members. This stage is often compared to a
toddler, no seems to be one of their favorite words. That could be because they
can no longer understand much of what you say to them, or because that is one
of the few words they still know.
The last stage of Alzheimer's is known as
stage five or severe Dementia. By this stage most all reasoning has been lost,
they have lost the ability to communicate, and are no longer mobile. Most
develop swallowing problems and need either pureed foods, often with thickened
liquids, or tube feeding At this stage caregivers must be extra careful to
monitor positioning and swallowing to avoid pressure ulcers and aspiration
pneumonia.
For such situations whether mild or severe medical id bracelets are very beneficial for
your loved ones. As you can find them anytime and anywhere. You don’t have to
worry about them being lost.