What stage?

What stage of Alzheimer's?

  • I don't want to think about this

    Votes: 14 4.0%
  • Stage 1

    Votes: 14 4.0%
  • Stage 2

    Votes: 6 1.7%
  • Stage 3

    Votes: 22 6.3%
  • Stage 4

    Votes: 50 14.2%
  • Stage 5

    Votes: 86 24.4%
  • Stage 6

    Votes: 108 30.7%
  • Stage 7

    Votes: 52 14.8%

  • Total voters
    352

weeze

Registered User
Oct 4, 2006
121
0
nottingham
Dear HarryBoy,
Welcome to Talking Point, your question is a tough one to answer as everyone's disease progresses at its own rate.
From personal experience my mum was diagnosed at between stage 2 and 3 seven years ago and it is probably the last year that she has been unable to manage herself. Like I said there is a great variety from person to person.
You'll probably find a larger response on the support for dementia suffers and their carers forum come along and introduce yourself to everyone we're a friendly bunch.
Also have you been given medication as this can affect the progression my mum was given Aricept and it help her to experience next to no decline for mearly 3 years.

Louise
 

sully.

Registered User
Jan 7, 2010
122
0
uk
Good idea Bruce, there's a bit of overlap with some things but overall I think the stages are quite well defined.

Yes i agree, but was very shocked hubby seems to be on stage 6. :( other times can seem relatively 'normal'?
 

kal d

Registered User
Jul 30, 2008
30
0
liverpool
Does it really help

Hi all.
Does it help you to know what stage everyone is and why? i ask myself, these conditions are so diverse will it help me to know what "stage" my parents are at. i must admit.. no not really how will it help me in the job i do for them, let me explain one has vascular dementia and one has Alzheimer's i have been looking after them for 12 years. they have gone through so many stages more stages than in any text book but when it comes down to it i just do what i do for them on a daily basis. and will keep doing so.
Each and every case and person, is individual , no two are the same if you are looking for what comes next?? let me tell you you will be constantly surprised.:)
my heartfelt feeling go out to you all. xx
 

Barry

Registered User
Oct 14, 2006
1,898
0
77
Indonesia
Bruce this is both an enlightening thread and a frightening one for those of us like myself that have the illness but it was something I had checked out when my condition of Alzheimer’s first raised its ugly head 5 years ago but not considered it since with the view that’s its best to get on and live life to the full and take each day as it comes!

But viewing this now and the stage scale then if I’m very honest with myself then I have placed myself in stage 4 with some elements of my illness merging into stage 5 but as we know different problems within the illness don’t always manifest themselves at the same time for everyone but I would say this gives a pretty good guide.

The scary fact is that the scale puts me at about halfway point:eek: yet in know way do I feel as though that is the case,:D I think a great deal depends on the individual and their will of determination in fighting the illness.
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
kal d said:
Does it help you to know what stage everyone is and why?

different things help different people in different ways.

That's the thing about TP - there's lots of information, but not all is relevant for every reader.

The stages information is helpful to me because it lists a range of the different symptoms to which I can relate seeing in my wife, and I can rationalise where she is in her dementia at present.

I have always wanted to learn as much as I possibly can so I can help her as much as I possibly can.

Does it give help in day to day caring? Well, no.

The stages information is not helpful when looking at groups of people, only at individuals, in my view.
 

amy2512

Registered User
Dec 11, 2007
51
0
Cambridgeshire
Thank you for this thread Bruce, I have found it really interesting and informative as I had been looking for information regarding the stages of AD.

I would put Mum in stage 5, moving into stage 6. Gosh isn't it sad when you look at it like that, to think she's halfway to stage 6 and once there there is only one more stage left. :( I'm a bit lost for words really. It's so sad and soul wrenching this terrible terrible illness, both for families and sufferers :(
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
to think she's halfway to stage 6 and once there there is only one more stage left.

Please do remember that there is no fixed length to any of the stages that we choose to identify. The fact that we believe someone is at a particular stage talks more about the symptoms they show than how far timewise they are on the dementia road.:)
 

BeverleyY

Registered User
Jan 29, 2008
716
0
Ashford, Kent
Hmm.. not really clear cut for me. I would say 5/6with my dad.

His main problem is he has lost all sense of year, season etc. His immediate memory recall is virtually non existent at times (although he can learn new things - like, in the past week he has learnt where the cemetary is, and walks there easily with no help to my mum's grave (she was buried this Monday).

He is in total denial that he has anything wrong with him at all.

I cannot reason or justify anything to him. He talks utter nonsense at times - thinking he can go off and live where he did 20 years ago at the drop of a hat by just phoning the council and they will give him a place of his choice :-(

He also hides things he things are important (money etc.) and then can't find them! Ocassionally, he refers to peoploe 'wanting to do him in'.

But... he gets up, makes tea every day, makes something to eat (usually just a sandwich), dresses, showers (when reminded), remembers to shave, walks to the shops, buys milk etc and handles his money with no problem.

He sometimes gets our names confused, but on the whole is fine knowing his nearest and dearest.

He seems extreme in some areas, and mild in others.

This all confuses me so much.

Beverley

I've just found my old post on this thread, and I think Dad is more or less exactly the same 2 years down the line. Maybe a little more confused at times, but very very stable.

I wonder what he would be like if he didn't live with us. No way of telling if he would have deteriorated or not.

Beverley
 

mau

Registered User
Jan 21, 2010
7
0
Stages

Hi Brucie
I think my husband falls between 3 and 4 although during the past two weeks he has seemed quite good. I have been thinking "there's nothing wrong" and then a suddenly he is unable to name things around the house etc. I have voted for stage 3 although there are some things in stage 4 that relate.
Surely these stages vary from person to person. His cognitive test was in the low 20s. Would that be relevant to 3?
Regards Mau
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Hello mau

First thing to say is to underline that I am not an expert - just trying to find my way around like everyone else.

Regarding stages - there are no true defined absolute stages. So different people use different ways and different numbers of stages to attempt to put their experience of dementia into context.

Dementia is actually a continuum of loss of capabilities, in my view, but we need to split it in some way to try to figure how far along the trail we are.

Also, a definition of stages enables us to see things we have not yet experienced - and indeed, may never see.

Some people use different models - 3 stage, 5 stage, 7 stage models. All are speculative, and none can give the durations of each stage... which is what many people want.

I like and use a 5 stage model and that is put in the context of the MMSE by the University of Western Sydney at

http://uws.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/6782/2007newlowresnobkgrd_dementia_poster.pdf

The current stage/MMSE chart from their document, which we have been given permission to highlight, looks like this - I have split it to fit the web pages here:

Stages 1-3

stages 1-3.jpg

Stages 4-5

stages 4-5.jpg

Of course you are correct - the experience of dementia is different for every person who has it, but there are general similarities that may be compared, non-scientifically.
 

Vonny

Registered User
Feb 3, 2009
4,584
0
Telford
Brucie, thanks so much for this: it's the most comprehensive chart I've seen regarding behaviour through the stages, and the only one I've encountered which directly links mmse score to behaviours.

I know all dementia presents differently but this maps out the last year of mum's life/mmse scores exactly.
 

zonkjonk

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
290
0
Melbourne, Australia
I would agree with that sylvia.....this was around the time that mum went into full time care...but mum never had disturbed sleep like D....
I am so sorry things are progressing as they are
love from Jo
 

Winnie Kjaer

Account Closed
Aug 14, 2009
2,011
0
Devon
I have been studying both the early and the new stages info. I saw from earlier post that someone asked if this applied to VAD as well. My husbands VAD is stroke related he has severe paralyses (complete left hand side) how would I know what he might be able to do if it had not been for the strokes (3). According to the info he is at the last stage. He definitely would not score anything on the memory test, yet he recognises me and on good days can say that 1plus 1 makes 2, 2plus 2 makes 4 and 4 plus 4 makes 8, but no further, yesterday he spelled Turkey which just came out of the blue, he can't write but occassional will read a small word we pass. He cannot answer questions but only nods or shakes his head, yet he will say few words impulsively even though his voice is very throaty and it is therefore difficult to understand him, together with the fact that I can't hear. He never tempts to feed himself even finger food, but does perhaps once every 14 days try to hold a glass but cannot bring it to his lips. All food is liquidised and he can only take minute small sips of fluid. Yet he is none aggressive, ocassionally has sundowning periods when he is distressed, usually about personal care or eating, and is very emotional but not sad. He was on antidepressants but has been taken off them after 4 years. He has fluid on the lung, permanent cough and chokes a lot on his food. How can I catagorise him?
As someone already said it does not really matter in which box he belongs as far as his care is concerned, but one is still curious. Anybody else out there who cares for someone similar?
I would be interested to hear.
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
John is well and truly end-stage, and has been for two years.

But he is by no means frail, and is not losing weight. In fact, he's putting it on, though that might be fluid retention. All other symptoms apply.
 

Winnie Kjaer

Account Closed
Aug 14, 2009
2,011
0
Devon
Hazel that is like my husband, I can't remember so pardon if you have told me already is John's dementia stroke related? My husband has been like that since his big stroke 4 years ago.
 

mau

Registered User
Jan 21, 2010
7
0
Stages

Thanks Brucie for your reply and the MMSE chart makes things so much clearer.
Regards Mau
 

Winnie Kjaer

Account Closed
Aug 14, 2009
2,011
0
Devon
I think the other thing to remember, particularly with the 7 stage theory, is that it really only relates to "pure" Alzheimer's. If there is a vascular component (as there so often is) then the stages can be way off.
I have copied this from another thread as we appear to be running two thread on stages. I agree with Jennifer, I have voted my husband is definitely in the final stages, but is totally different to the stages shown for AD