Stage of dementia

[Meercat]

I've noticed a number of you are able to say what stage your relative is.

How do you determine what stage a person is at?
Is it from matching behaviours to a list yourselves or is it determined by a medical practitioner?

Are these stages related to all dementias or just Alzheimers?

I think it might be useful for us to know what stage our M is at, so when we're asking for help from outside agencies they have a basic understanding what level of need they are dealing with.

 

[Chemmy]

This is one site - be prepared; it's a harrowing read

http://www.alzinfo.org/clinical-stages-of-alzheimers

I wouldn't take the duration of each stage as gospel though - these must be average figures

 

[2jays]

fact sheet on 3 stages
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=133

and the 7 stages one
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_stages_of_alzheimers.asp

but remember.... once you have seen one person with Alzheimers you have seen one person with Alzheimers

 

[2jays]

I think there is a very slight variation of timings between Alzheimers and Dementia - only because of the type of Dementia be it vascular or Lewi or another one (still learning myself so please forgive me if Ive got this wrong)

At the end of the day, in my opinion, ..... memory and behaviour changes - they cause the same problems/upset to carers whether its Alzheiners or Dementia

 

[Chemmy]

I reckon my mum was at the beginning of stage 5 when she went into care in Feb 2005.
By November 2010, I'd say she was at stage 7b and she's now at 7d.

 

[hollycat]

Hi meercat, hollycat here....meeeeoooow !

Don't know if you are aware, but quite a few contributions on here often ignore the stages. Like all people on talking point, these people are entitled to their opinion.

HOWEVER, I am NOT one of them. I have looked at the stages for nothing more than very general guidance as no 2 cases are the same. When I looked at the stages it allowed me to discover 2 things:

1. What we have already seen.

2. What "might" be to come.

I think mum is between 5 and 6 but what does this mean to me. It means NOTHING ! It basically means that mum has done all/most of the things in stages 1 to 4, has done most of the things in stage 5 and is showing signs of stage 6.

In summary, it is NOT an exact science, however, I hope like us, it gives you a guide. Others will come along and say they don't want a guide........well sorry, I DO !

Good luck.....meeeoooow

 

[Chemmy]

I find it very interesting and surprisingly accurate. I am now prepared that the next ability Mum will lose will be smiling.

I think that will be easier to accept when you know it's part of the expected progression and not that she's permanently unhappy. It also makes me appreciate the smiles I still occasionally get even more.

 

[Meercat]

Thanks everyone for your help.

Do medical professionals use these stages?

 

[rajahh]

I printed out the 7 stages from here, and my husband is 5/6/7/ That means he has some of 5 some of 6 and some of 7, but I agree with others on here, it gives us an inkling of what come next so we are not taken by surprise.

It doesn't stop the pain of seeing the deterioration but it does help us to be prepared.

The GPcame today and gave my husband the normal test for memory he got 27 out of 30 Gp says he doesn't see much wrong, or much deterioration, then when he left my husband went and made himself a drink of undiluted high juice blackcurrant and apple!!!

So much for the test.

Jeannette

 

[Grannie G]

I think there is a very slight variation of timings between Alzheimers and Dementia

Alzheimer`s is dementia, just one form. There is Vascular Dementia, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, FTD, Picks, Alzheimer`s and many more, all Dementias, all similar but different.

 

[2jays]

Do medical professionals use these stages?

Tempted to say not if they can help it

Mum's GP He said he knew nothing about the stages I was talking about so I (politely) shoved a print-out under his nose. He considers her at stage 4/5 I KNOW she is it 5/6 with a smattering of 7 - a deep discussion ensued.... and now we are waiting to see what stage he thinks shes at.....

 

[Mariondb]

Afraid I don't think this is accurate for everyone and entirely depends upon the individual and separate medical problems they may have which may or may not be dementia related.

In medical terms of being able to look after herself, her mobility, incontinence, etc, my MIL would be up around the 7, in separate dementia terms but in pure mental capacity terms she is considerably lower. You cannot naturally assume that because someone has a dementia diagnosis that their problems are symptomatic because of that, medical conditions dictate what they can and cannot do with or without dementia.

It is dangerous to assume a path that a patient will definitively take and that certain behaviours are purely down to dementia (the medics are pretty good at some of these assumptions we have found) - there may very well be medical reasons rather than "social".

 

[Chemmy]

It is dangerous to assume a path that a patient will definitively take and that certain behaviours are purely down to dementia (the medics are pretty good at some of these assumptions we have found) - there may very well be medical reasons rather than "social".

I agree that there will be variations depending on the individual - the general ageing process will account for restricted mobility etc as will other medical conditions. However, in addition to understanding Mum's deterioration, I have found it helpful to understand what I'm seeing when I go into her CH. The old dears slumped to one side in their chairs, propped up by cushions, have not just been plonked there by the staff to keep them out of the way; rather than the first impression, which could be seen as one of neglect/indifference, I now understand that not being able to sit up unsupported is simply one of the later stages.

 

[JenniferW]

This is one site - be prepared; it's a harrowing read

http://www.alzinfo.org/clinical-stages-of-alzheimers

I wouldn't take the duration of each stage as gospel though - these must be average figures

I've used this same website, read and re-read everything, and then I made a shortened list of notes for my sister and I to use as reference as we try and plan and cater to our mother's needs as the condition develops. Various healthcare workers have said to me that I shouldn't expect things to develop so systematically, but in fact I've been surprised at how accurately this website is describing my mother's development.

What this website's really helped my sister and I do is to look, and plan, ahead - and to take on board planning for the worst. As a result I'm actually thinking we've coped a lot better than I thought we would!

By describing clinically what we can expect, it's given us time to mull ideas over and try and work out what arrangements might work best for our mother - who lives on her own in her own home.

Also, this website has listed symptoms and behaviours that no healthcare worker has ever mentioned to us - let alone made any suggestions as to what care arrangements might be suitable!

I am so appreciative of this level of information being available on the internet.

 

[Nannybus]

My mother reached, what I regarded as, the final stage four years ago. Doubly incontinent, bedbound, no communication, had to be fed and turned. Yet she lasted until November of this year. So each stage lasts as long as it lasts. There is no reason or logic, in my opinion.

 

[Chemmy]

For those who might be interested, (and I appreciate that's not everyone) this link gives a correlation between MMSE scores and the various stages (scroll down)

http://www.dementiaguide.com/aboutdementia/understanding/impaired_function/

This would probably explain how GPs categorise patients into mild, moderate or severe.