Advice wanted, what stage is this.

[Onlydaughter]

My mum who is in a care home, self funded, has AD, doubly incontinent, blind, deaf, can only shuffle with a walking frame after carers help her to stand. Does not recognise any family, nor when we tell her who we are as is name and daughter etc, these are just words now, the meaning of them has gone. She was stuttering to get words out, sadly they were just words, nothing resembling a conversation. Now it's just one long stutter, not even sure if it's just one word or trying to get more out. She will be 95 in the summer and was diagnosed about 7 years ago. Does anyone know what stage this is or how long before some release from this terrible disease. Advice needed.

 

[LYN T]

I wish I could give you an answer=but until the end stage is reached even medical professionals won't be able to answer. ( and even that's a wide estimation) it's so difficult to know. Dementia sufferers can pass from so many illnesses/infections; others just fade away. Your Mum must have a strong will to live even at her advanced age. This of course doesn't help your obvious torment in seeing your Mum with such a limited life. I'm so sorry that you are having to witness this.

Love from,

Lyn T XX

 

[Izzy]

I can only agree with Lyn.

Having said that I found these clips very interesting when I was undertaking the Understanding Dementia course -

http://youtu.be/eNYwyu5HhnY?list=PLg-PP_X3O1BJAypjoN67GYrSTQBUHyNFl

http://youtu.be/vnQloCTT1yc?list=PLg-PP_X3O1BJAypjoN67GYrSTQBUHyNFl

 

[Chemmy]

Hi
You may find this link of interest

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

NB: be warned, for those in the earlier stages, this can be a harrowing read. The lengths of each stage are averages and not everyone will progress in the same way. However, I found it pretty accurate in the way it mirrored my mum's Alzheimer's journey and meant I was prepared for what came next. Mum lived for 10 years after diagnosis, probably 12 years in total, and passed away, aged 84, when she was at around stage 7d/7e.

 

[marionq]

Chemmy that is the most detailed account of stages I have read and as you say fairly harrowing. Not for the faint hearted.

 

[Izzy]

I have to say I don't find the stages helpful. My husband is now in his 14th year since diagnosis. He is at the later stages of dementia and meets a lot of the criteria described in the end stages. On the other hand we go out for meals, we go to the theatre, he's in the Alzheimer Scotland choir. Having said that he is doubly incontinent, needs 24/7 supervision, gets regular UTIs and chest infections, can't hold a conversation, now only knows me. He was 71 at diagnosis but probably was showing signs of it a while before that. He will be 85 this year.

I stopped looking at the stages some time ago and just try to face the changes as they come. I get help here when I'm worried about anything.



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