Dementia: Three Main Stages of the Incurable Illness

Three main stages of dementia

Since you need dementia care – you should obviously know the causes of dementia are different and the stages of development of the disease may differ, the stages of the disease in most cases are distinguished on the basis of the social factor.

Initial (I) stage of dementia

The very beginning of the disease. At the first stage of dementia, it is already possible to talk about a decrease in the patient’s intellectual abilities, but his practical and social skills are not completely lost. Patients can forget both facts and actions, their emotions become more vivid, they can show signs of depression and even aggression. At the initial stage it is very important to correctly diagnose dementia without confusing it with signs of other diseases.

Average (II) stage of dementia

Moderate dementia. Patients have gaps in the memory – a person forgets the episodes of life, he is unable to restore events again. At a moderate stage, memory lapses can be replaced by false memories. At the same time, memory weakens unevenly: a person can remember in detail what happened 50 years ago and completely forget the key events of 10 years ago. Invented episodes of life can be both realistic and absurd. Patients have difficulties with orientation in space, forget familiar places and get lost in their own backyard. A patient in the stage of moderate dementia is dangerous for themselves and others, he or she needs constant care.

Severe (III) stage of dementia

The final stage. At this stage, the final destruction of the personality takes place – a person can completely lose his memory, begins to live in a fictional world. The disorders of memory, speech, will, and thinking are very deep. A person loses all social and practical skills: can not talk, can not wash, can not eat. A patient in severe dementia becomes bedridden, as motor functions are also lost. The last stage is fatal.

It is important to understand that for each type of dementia the stages can be different. In some cases, mild dementia is very difficult to distinguish from the “heavy character” and an increased level of emotionality. Problems with memory and speech may also indicate a stroke or heart attack, but it is not a sign of developing dementia. Diagnosis should be done only by a specialized doctor.