Hi I was wondering what are the stages of dementia I read people talking about the different stages but no-one has said mum is in a stage and giving the decline in the past 3 to 4 weeks there must be different stage that she is on now.thanks.
Stages of dementia
- Thread starter Andrea57
- Start date
Hello @Andrea57
There are different trains of thought about the stages of dementia because everyone is different and so many of the stages overlap.
These might be helpful for you but please just use them as a rough guide. Your mum may experience some signs of one stage but not all.
www.dementiacarecentral.com
There are different trains of thought about the stages of dementia because everyone is different and so many of the stages overlap.
These might be helpful for you but please just use them as a rough guide. Your mum may experience some signs of one stage but not all.
Seven Stages of Dementia | Symptoms, Progression & Durations
Learn about the stages of dementia and the scales used to measure the progression of Alzheimer’s and other dementias: the FAST, GDS and CDR scales
www.dementiacarecentral.com
As Grannie G says, it is different for everyone. Any reading you do will help your understanding, particularly the threads on here under 'caring for dementia'.
The 7 stages guide is really good, however... take a deep breath before reading it - there is nothing good in there, no small pieces of comfort or light at the end of the tunnel - only a growing darkness. I remember reading it (and other guides) back when mum was in the early stages. I won't say it frightened me but to see it all laid out like that made me realise the true nature of dementia - that it just takes and takes till there is nothing left.
It really is the cruellest disease.
It's unlikely any medical professionals will tell you what stage your mum is at. In fact, you are really the best judge. Take things as they come, get all the help you can and make sure the legal stuff is in place, like Power of Attorney, etc.
Best wishes and good luck! Keep posting here - there is always someone who is experiencing the same problems.
The 7 stages guide is really good, however... take a deep breath before reading it - there is nothing good in there, no small pieces of comfort or light at the end of the tunnel - only a growing darkness. I remember reading it (and other guides) back when mum was in the early stages. I won't say it frightened me but to see it all laid out like that made me realise the true nature of dementia - that it just takes and takes till there is nothing left.
It really is the cruellest disease.
It's unlikely any medical professionals will tell you what stage your mum is at. In fact, you are really the best judge. Take things as they come, get all the help you can and make sure the legal stuff is in place, like Power of Attorney, etc.
Best wishes and good luck! Keep posting here - there is always someone who is experiencing the same problems.
Hi reading through I realized that I already researched it . I now feel that she needs more than I can give but I can't get out of this situation has we live in the same house. It's to late for p o a the latest docs letter says she lacks mental capacity which I already knew just seeing it in black and white was hard. POA was always mentioned to us by cpn, bank but for mum it wasn't about me looking after her and her welfare to her I was after her money and controling and bullying her.I will ride it till the social worker calls but I know I can't do it anymore for mum she deserves more not because of the I am feeling. Maybe if we didn't see each other everyday things would be better.Thank you for all the support.
The Banjoman had Lewy Body Dementia and was showing “later” signs long before some that would have beeb expected as “earlier”. It is all the luck of the draw I think.
My dad was probably in stage 4 Early stage for a long long time, probably more than 8 years but we muddled through. A hospital stay plunged him into stage 5 before he died of cancer after another year. I am sure he would have carried on for a good while before he reached stage 6 because he was very stubborn.
I found a formula once that said if you compare someone with alzheimers with someone of the same age who does not have any form of dementia then the person will have a remaining life expectancy of half that of the person without alzheimers. I compared my dad to his brother who did not have any dementia and lived to the age of 95 and worked out that dad would reach 91 I think it is likely that he would have reached that if he had not had cancer.
These stages are fluid and no 2 people are alike. The stages are a rough guide.
I found a formula once that said if you compare someone with alzheimers with someone of the same age who does not have any form of dementia then the person will have a remaining life expectancy of half that of the person without alzheimers. I compared my dad to his brother who did not have any dementia and lived to the age of 95 and worked out that dad would reach 91 I think it is likely that he would have reached that if he had not had cancer.
These stages are fluid and no 2 people are alike. The stages are a rough guide.
Dear Andrea57
Others have already said several good points. I would offer two.
1) By all means have a look at say the predicted seven stages of Dementia model. It can make unpleasant reading but you need to know where the road is very likely going to end up. That said predicting how long each stage lasts, the exact symptoms at each stage, etc, I would respectfully say is for the birds. So many Dementia sufferers are the same sex, age, weigh, general physical health, etc, yet have totally different experiences of the illness in many cases. Any carers group will throw up a contrast of different experiences even within a small group. Then again there are different types of Dementia. Have a read, get yourself better informed of what most likely is to come, at some point in the future, but do not accept it as science.
2) Please, please, please do not ruin today worrying about what will most likely happen at some future date. Enjoy what you still have today, not worrying about when it might be taken away, known as “anticipatory grief”. If Covid19 has proven anything it has shown how unpredictable all our lives are. I know it is hard to do so but maybe a little humour may help. You are in the dentist waiting area and need root canal treatment, painful and not pleasant trying to keep your mouth wide open for lengthy periods. Now you can sit and ponder that unpleasant experience, effectively bringing it into the waiting area, increasing your miserable time. Or try and read a magazine, chat to a stranger, watch what is going on around you and have an altogether better experience until your name gets called. Just a thought. Your choice. I am not attempting to trivialise Dementia just suggesting a way to look at the future. This illness is awful, cruel, destroys lives, but dread of its development in the future can ruin what you still have today if you are not careful.
I wish you well in the future. My mum has just read out a letter from the paper for about the fifth time whilst I read the threads on here. Use to be frustrating but not once I reminded myself it means mum can still read, remembers a topic that will interest me. I hope some of my words can be of help to you.
Best wishes
Others have already said several good points. I would offer two.
1) By all means have a look at say the predicted seven stages of Dementia model. It can make unpleasant reading but you need to know where the road is very likely going to end up. That said predicting how long each stage lasts, the exact symptoms at each stage, etc, I would respectfully say is for the birds. So many Dementia sufferers are the same sex, age, weigh, general physical health, etc, yet have totally different experiences of the illness in many cases. Any carers group will throw up a contrast of different experiences even within a small group. Then again there are different types of Dementia. Have a read, get yourself better informed of what most likely is to come, at some point in the future, but do not accept it as science.
2) Please, please, please do not ruin today worrying about what will most likely happen at some future date. Enjoy what you still have today, not worrying about when it might be taken away, known as “anticipatory grief”. If Covid19 has proven anything it has shown how unpredictable all our lives are. I know it is hard to do so but maybe a little humour may help. You are in the dentist waiting area and need root canal treatment, painful and not pleasant trying to keep your mouth wide open for lengthy periods. Now you can sit and ponder that unpleasant experience, effectively bringing it into the waiting area, increasing your miserable time. Or try and read a magazine, chat to a stranger, watch what is going on around you and have an altogether better experience until your name gets called. Just a thought. Your choice. I am not attempting to trivialise Dementia just suggesting a way to look at the future. This illness is awful, cruel, destroys lives, but dread of its development in the future can ruin what you still have today if you are not careful.
I wish you well in the future. My mum has just read out a letter from the paper for about the fifth time whilst I read the threads on here. Use to be frustrating but not once I reminded myself it means mum can still read, remembers a topic that will interest me. I hope some of my words can be of help to you.
Best wishes
