Stages of Alzheimer's: Keeping it simple

I've heard so many different theories regarding the number of different stages that can be experienced throughout the duration of Alzheimer's disease. Some experts have concluded that there are as many as 15 different stages, but on the average I hear most advisors announce confidently that there are seven categories.

Personally I agree with the Mayo Clinic. This highly respected voice pares it down to only three stages: mild, moderate and severe.

The last thing the patient or caregiver needs to be worrying about is, are they are now advancing into the eleventh or twelfth stage of the disease? Please relax and realize that these "stages" were only set up as general guidelines to keep caregivers and patients informed as to what to expect next.

First of all the rate of the progression of Alzheimer's disease varies immensely. Not everyone will experience the same symptoms or advance at the same rate. Some will only live a short six years while others may survive up to twenty!

The following are some of the symptoms of the disease as broken down into three stages.

Mild Stage: Memory loss of recent events. Difficulty with problem solving. Change in personality. Difficulty in expressing thoughts. Getting lost or misplacing things.

Moderate Stage: Increasingly poor judgement. Advance confusion. Greater memory loss. Assistance needed for daily activities. Significant changes in personality and behavior.

Severe Stage: Losing the ability to communicate. Needs daily assistance with daily care. Loss of motor skills.

In a seven-stage arrangement you can almost delete the first two stages since such minimal impairment is listed. The three stage formula has less confusion which is something every caregiver needs.

Here is a website, www.caring.com/step-stages/alzheimers which can be used as a great assessment tool. Check off a short list of questions and it will help to evaluate what stage of the disease your loved one is in and then offer some guidance. I found it to be profoundly accurate.

Mainly the reason I think it is important to know what stage your afflicted one is enduring is so that you, the caregiver, will have some kind of idea of what is coming next. This way you can make plans for the future without being to caught off guard.

For more info

Gary LeBlanc was the primary caregiver of his father for more than eight years after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and he has just published a collection of his articles in a book named, "Staying Afloat in a Sea of Forgetfulness." The book can be found at www.stayingafloatbook.com, Amazon or Barnes and Noble. He can be e-mailed at us41books@bellsouth.net.