The 7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

“The journey through Alzheimer’s is a relentless maze of memories where the path keeps shifting.”

The United States National Institute on Aging ranks Alzheimer’s disease as the seventh leading cause of death in the country. It is one of the most commonly known types of dementia, a brain disorder, and a progressive disease that happens silently, develops slowly, and worsens gradually.

During the 7 stages of Alzheimer’s disease, each impacts the person’s ability to think, remember, reason, use language, and solve problems. The disease eventually impacts their personality, restricts movement, and robs them of individual functioning abilities.

Our article is a guide for caretakers to understand the progression of the disease in each stage, how to care for the individual, and how to use our REAN HealthGuru app to keep track of health parameters.

Understanding Alzheimer’s Warning Symptoms

Alzheimer’s Disease usually occurs in older individuals. It occurs due to various changes in the brain that may begin long before the initial symptoms appear. The early warning signs include:

• Confused state of mind
• Memory impairment
• Altered behaviour
• Impaired reasoning

Although these signs may vary from person to person, they signal the need for early medical intervention and compassionate support for the person.

Generally, Alzheimer’s Disease can be broken down into three stages:

• Early stage
• Middle stage
• Late stage

These stages are further categorized into seven distinct phases, three of which occur before the individual’s diagnosis. Let’s decode each stage to better understand this brain disorder and what to expect.

Analysing Disease Progression in the 7 Stages of Alzheimer’s

Stage 1: No Evident Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s does not immediately affect the brain. Even after its occurrence, it remains silent and completely undetectable. Hence, the person may not experience any evident signs of memory impairment or cognitive decline. Without any apparent symptoms, the disease can remain undetected for years without any diagnosis. However, this phase lays the foundation to brace for the oncoming stages.

What to do: Now is the time to take proactive measures to preserve brain function and physical health. You can encourage your loved ones to engage in cognitive exercises to keep their brains active and embrace a physically fit lifestyle with brisk walks and easy workouts.

Stage 2: Symptoms of Mild Decline in Brain Health

Since Alzheimer’s Disease mainly affects people over 65, they may already experience occasional forgetfulness and functional difficulties. The difference here is that with Alzheimer’s, the cognitive decline is more rapid than for those without the disease.

You should watch out for quick bouts of memory lapses, such as:

• Failing to remember a family member’s name
• Inability to recall commonly used words
• Forgetting where they placed objects like spectacles, phones, keys, etc.

However, at this stage, the symptoms will not hinder their routine work and social activities, and these signs may also seem like normal forgetfulness. Hence, they may not be obvious enough to alarm anyone.

What to do: Schedule regular doctor appointments to monitor the individual’s brain health. Establish physical routines and mental activities to bolster cognitive functioning during this stage of Alzheimer’s.

Stage 3: Ongoing Symptoms of Mild Decline

Although the third stage of Alzheimer's stretches for seven years, the symptoms become more evident within 2-4 years and become slowly noticeable to close family and friends. The person may exhibit the following changes and signs of cognitive decline:

• Mild signs of anxiety and denial
• Difficulty in learning new skills
• Misplacing or losing valuable objects
• Inability to remember people and their names
• Having difficulty using a familiar travel route
• Decreased concentration during testing
• Inability to remember what they have just read
• Forgetting the destination and getting lost when traveling
• Failure to use the right words or names while speaking

What to do: If you notice these symptoms, it is time to seek help from a counselor, especially if the person has complex job responsibilities.

Also Read: Everything You Need to Know About Alzheimer’s Disease- Prevention, Diagnosis, and Care

Stage 4: Moderate Cognitive Decline

The fourth stage marks the beginning of diagnosable Alzheimer’s Disease. As cognitive decline progresses from mild to moderate, previously subtle signs become distinct and have a telling effect on the individual’s daily activities. They may also face additional issues absent in the previous stages, such as:

• Difficulty in household management
• Trouble with handling finances and organizing tasks
• Forgetting details about themselves and others
• Forgetting simple details, such as the day or date
• Struggling to interpret what the other person is saying

What to do: To help your loved one navigate this phase of the condition, it is best to help them with their routine tasks and take precautions to ensure their safety. For example, you can ensure they are not handling vehicles by themselves or accompany them when they travel.

You can also reach out to caregiver support groups for guidance while adapting to your new caretaker role. You may also want to seek additional support to deal with the behavioral changes that come with Alzheimer’s.

Stage 5: Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline

The fifth stage of Alzheimer’s is characterized by severe cognitive decline and the need for assistance with routine tasks. Patients without adequate moral support and care often lose their temper or become suspicious of their family and friends.

The signs and symptoms related to this stage of Alzheimer’s are:

• Difficulty in recalling major events or current addresses
• Inability to recall the weather conditions
• Significant confusion about the time or place
• Difficulty counting backward
• Repetition of questions
• Decline in numerical abilities
• Mood swings and personality changes
• Inability to choose proper clothing to suit the weather

How to help: The person may no longer be capable of living independently and may require assistance to carry on their daily activities. Although they may still be able to manage personal hygiene and food intake, they may need help with finer aspects of their routine life, like financial management and help with picking the right clothes for the weather.

Stage 6: Severe Cognitive Decline

In this stage of the disease, the individual’s ability to perform routine activities is severely compromised, and substantial assistance may be required. Other significant characteristics of this stage include:

• Poor memory of recent events
• Inability to remember names of family and friends
• Limited memory of the earlier stages of their lives
• Difficulty in exhibiting cognitive skills
• Bouts of delusion, agitation, and anxiety
• Decreased bowel and bladder control
• Significant personality changes

How to help:

Caregivers face an important challenge that goes beyond simply addressing physical needs. It is more about fostering deep, meaningful connections through compassionate communication. You can spend quality time with your loved one by listening to music, going through old photos, and engaging in sensory activities.

Although challenging, they need to know you are there for them.

Stage 7 – Very Severe Cognitive Decline

In the very last stages of Alzheimer’s, the individual’s ability to communicate is severely compromised and is limited to a few intelligible words. They may require non-stop assistance to do everyday tasks, from brushing their teeth in the morning to going to bed at night and everything in between.

As the disease progresses, patients will lose the ability to sit up, walk or eat. Most importantly, they may also lose the ability to recognize thirst, which requires constant monitoring to prevent dehydration.

How to help: At this stage of the disease, the prime focus should be on the patient’s dignity, quality of life, and comfort. With excellent medical and supportive care, individuals can survive indefinitely in this stage. However, due to the disease progression and additional complications, they are at a risk of developing:

• Immobility
• Physical rigidity
• Infected ulcers
• Pneumonia

Terminal pneumonia is one of the most frequent causes of death for individuals with Stage 7 Alzheimer’s.

Wrapping Up

Understanding Alzheimer’s disease can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to its stages. While this categorization serves as a helpful guide for recognizing symptoms and tracking the disease’s progression, it is important to remember there isn’t a universal agreement on their classifications.

As a caregiver, your focus should shift to the individual requirements of the person you are caring for. It is important to understand the challenges they face, regardless of their stage.

Here’s where REAN Foundation’s HealthGuru app helps you by providing valuable medical advice from trusted sources. This awareness empowers you to provide the most compassionate care tailored to your loved one’s specific needs.

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