Negosentro | The 7 Different Stages in Dementia |Dementia doesn’t affect everyone the same way, and it manifests differently in each person and advances at varying speeds. Some patients may remain in a moderate decline for a lengthy period, but others will experience various symptoms fast and may need dementia palliative care fast. Understanding the seven phases of dementia might help ease these changes for your dear one and yourself as the caregiver.
Dementia’s Seven Stages
It might be tough to live with and comprehend the phases of dementia. Here, we provide a more detailed image of the entire dementia journey, as well as the indicators of dementia to watch out for in your loved one.
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Normal Behaviour
Your loved one may have no symptoms in this stage of dementia, but cognitive changes may be happening – these might occur many years before the signs or symptoms of dementia develop.
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Forgetfulness
In the early phases of the disease, a person may easily forget things and misplace objects about the home, but not to the degree where the cognitive impairment can be clearly separated from typical age-related memory loss.
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Mild Decline
As dementia progresses, you may start noticing subtle changes and signals that something ‘isn’t quite right.’ They could regularly misplace their purse, keys, or appointments, and this period might extend five to seven years.
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Moderate Decline
The symptoms of the disease become evident to everyone in the latter stages of the disease. The loved one may struggle to handle money, pay bills, or recall what they ate for breakfast. If they go to their doctor at this stage and have an MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination), they will most likely be diagnosed with the disease. This period lasts around two years on average.
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Moderately Severe Decline
During the late stages of dementia, a person may need additional assistance with day-to-day life. While they can generally still take care of their basic needs, such as using the bathroom, they may struggle to dress correctly or recall simple details about their lives, like their telephone number. They can, however, recognize relatives and friends and remember events from decades ago (particularly from their youth) with incredible precision. This period may last up to 1.5 years on average.
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Severe Decline
In the later stages of dementia, continual monitoring is required. They may need assistance with bathing and clothing, and they may also become uncontrollable. Changes in their attitude and behavior, such as rage and violence, may be disturbing and difficult to deal with. Despite their confusion, they often know and recognize those closest to them, which might provide some solace. This period might continue up to 2.5 years on average.
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Very Severe Decline
Many individuals die before reaching this stage of dementia, frequently due to other health problems. They will have a severe loss of speech, need daily living and food aid, and may require 24-hour assistance from a professional caregiver if they do not already have it.
Conclusion
If you detect any unexpected changes in your senior loved one’s behavior or characteristics, it’s vital to seek expert assistance. You might need to check nursing homes or assisted living facilities that specialize in dementia patients, where they focus on establishing a supportive environment where the patients can get the essential aid they need while still feeling empowered despite their condition.
