Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia. It s an irreversible and progressive disease. In most cases, symptoms progress slowly in the early stages so that several years of cognitive decline might occur until the death, usually because of other complications.
Alzheimer’s worsen over time; memory loss for more than six months is the essential condition for the probable diagnosis, for which confirmation is needed with some other test, such as neuroimaging, genetic studies, pathological studies, etc.
Mild Alzheimer's disease (early-stage)
In the early stage of Alzheimer's, a person may function independently. At those moments the symptoms tends to be ignored. Friends, family or others close to the individual begin to notice difficulties.
- Memory loss and forgetfulness.
- Have difficulty in your communication, such as finding the right words.
- Getting lost in know places.
- Trouble remembering names when introduced to new people.
- Increasing trouble with planning or organizing.
- Challenges performing tasks in social or work settings.
- Behavior:
- Can become less active and motivated.
- Can shows changes in mood, including depression and anxiety.
Moderate Alzheimer's disease (middle-stage)
A medida que la enfermedad avanza, los problemas se vuelven más obvios y limitantes.
- During the moderate stage of Alzheimer's, individuals may have greater difficulty performing tasks such as paying bills, but they may still remember significant details about their life.
- Forgetfulness of events or about one’s own personal history.
- Confusion about where they are or what day it is.
- Feeling moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situation.
- The need for help choosing proper clothing, cooking or cleaning
- Personality and behavioral changes, including suspiciousness and disillusions or compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing or tissue shredding
- Trouble controlling bladder and bowles in some individuals.
- Changes in sleep patterns, such as slepping during the day and becoming restless at night.
- An increase risk of wandering and becoming lost.
Severe Alzheimer's disease (late-stage)
In the final stage of this disease, individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, to carry on a conversation and, eventually, to control movement.
- Usually is not aware of the date or place where he is.
- Has difficulty to understand what is happening around him.
- Does not recognize relatives, friends or familiar objects.
- Need round-the–clock assistance with daily activities and personal care.
- Have increasing difficulty communicating.
- Experience changes in physical abilities, including the ability to walk, sit andm eventually swallow.
- You may suffer incontinence.
- Become vulnerable to infections.