5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s — affecting not only their own lives, but the lives of those providing care around them. The burden of Alzheimer’s is physical, emotional, and financial, and sadly, the number of people affected by Alzheimer’s is projected to rise to nearly 14 million within the next 30 years. Therefore, as health professionals and individuals, we need to be prepared. The following information will help you understand Alzheimer’s as a disease and how to deal with its progression.
Keep in mind that Alzheimer’s affects each person differently. Timing and severity of symptoms may vary. However, Alzheimer’s typically progresses slowly (over the span of four to eight years, sometimes up to 20 years) in three stages – mild (early stage), moderate (middle stage), and severe (late stage).
NOTE: While Alzheimer’s has no treatment, early diagnosis can help individuals explore treatment options to help with symptoms and maintain quality of life for as long as possible. Learn more about diagnosis here: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/diagnosis
Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease | ||
Mild/Early Stage | Moderate/Middle Stage | Severe/Late Stage |
Person may be able to function independently (still drive, work, participate in social activities)
Symptoms: memory lapses such as forgetting familiar words or location of everyday objects |
Person may have more difficulty performing routine tasks independently and may begin to experience personality changes
Symptoms: forgetfulness about personal history and details; confusion about day and time; personality and behavioral changes, including agitation, restlessness, wandering, repetition |
Person loses ability to respond to environment and to perform activities of daily living
Symptoms: significant personality changes; changes in walking, sitting, swallowing; difficulty communicating |
As Alzheimer’s progresses, so does the role and challenges of a caregiver.
Caregiving for Someone with Alzheimer’s | ||
Mild/Early Stage | Moderate/Middle Stage | Severe/Late Stage |
Role largely is to provide support and companionship, and help plan for the future (legal, financial, and long-term care planning) | Role requires more flexibility, responsibility and patience as independence becomes more of a challenge for the person with Alzheimer’s | Role focuses on preserving quality of life and dignity
Extensive care needs may exceed what can be provided at home, even with additional assistance |
Responding to: | ||
Aggression & Anger | ||
Anxiety & Agitation | ||
Depression | ||
Hallucinations | ||
Memory Loss & Confusion | ||
Repetition | ||
Sleep Issues & Sundowning | ||
Suspicions & Delusions | ||
Wandering |
Information source: https://www.alz.org/
Additional resource: Coping with Behavior Change in Dementia: A Family Caregiver’s Guide (included as part of the GrapeVine Better Brain Health unit resources)
Millions of people will eventually find themselves in the role of caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s. The more we learn and understand the disease, the more we can help those people successfully navigate the caregiving journey.
The following video aired on “60 Minutes” in 2018. It documents the journey of a couple from diagnosis to the final stages of Alzheimer’s, and is a good summary to all the information discussed above. GrapeVine Partners, please click HERE to continue.
If you are not a GrapeVine Partner, please click here to watch the video.