The Seven Stages of Alzheimer’s: What Families Need to Know

Families with loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are often left with more questions than answers. In many cases this is because their lives have been turned upside down by the news and they are struggling to gain control over their situation. It isn’t easy.

This is why it is critical for families to have access to solid information. They need answers to their immediate questions, a greater understanding of what is happening to their loved one, and tools to pave the way forward. Being armed with information will also help support decisions on how to handle their loved one’s needs, now and in the future.

It begins with an understanding of the stages of Alzheimer’s. And there are more than you think.

One area that often gets glossed over is a comprehensive description of the stages of Alzheimer’s. Most families have a vague understanding and often generally describe it as early, middle, and late stages of the disease.

In fact, there are seven stages of Alzheimer’s disease, as outlined by the Global Deterioration Scale. And each is important to understand. We have summarized them below:

1. No cognitive decline. No complaints of memory deficit yet.
2. Very mild cognitive decline. May include forgetting where one has placed familiar objects or names of people they know well.
3. Mild cognitive decline. Among other deficits, the individual may get lost when driving, experience work performance deficits, have a decreased ability to remember names, and display concentration issues.
4. Moderate cognitive decline. The cognitive deficit can now be clearly identified in a cognitive interview. This may include a decreased knowledge of current events, deficit in memory of personal history, difficulty handling finances, traveling, and so on.
5. Moderately severe cognitive decline. The individual now needs assistance in most areas. They may no longer recall their address, phone number, and names of close family members.
6. Severe cognitive decline. Deficits at this stage may include unawareness of recent events, forgetting the name of a spouse, difficulty counting to ten, difficulty distinguishing faces. May retain some knowledge of past life.
7. Very severe cognitive decline. At this stage, the individual has lost verbal abilities, is incontinent, will need assistance with feeding, will exhibit a lack of bodily coordination, and may no longer be able to walk.

Why is it important for everyone to understand all of the stages?

Understanding all seven stages of Alzheimer’s brings several benefits. First, it sheds light on the fact that many older individuals may already be in the early stages of dementia and yet have not been properly screened. Unfortunately, that is why most diagnoses aren’t made until an individual is already in stage 3, mild cognitive decline.

An early diagnosis brings more options, such as clinical trials and treatments which can delay the progression of dementia. Understanding the mid to later stages helps families better cope with the many cognitive, behavioral, and physical changes. It will help them tackle these challenges with open eyes as they present themselves. Finally, having a good understanding of the progression of the disease through later stages will help them plan for the future as their needs change.  

If you are caring for a loved one and suspect that they may be in an early stage of dementia, encourage them to undergo testing. Medicare will pay for early screening and testing as well as many of the treatments available to slow the progression of dementia. But you must take action early to optimize those benefits.

The more you know, the better you can serve your loved one’s needs … and yours as well.

We encourage you to reach out to any of our Anthem Memory Care communities to learn more about Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Our experienced, caring team will be happy to sit down with you and answer your questions as well as provide you with additional information and resources.

A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s brings many challenges to families. Understanding each stage and being armed with accurate information will help you navigate the road ahead. And remember, we’re here to help!