The stages of Alzheimer's disease — what to expect at each
Lesson 2 of 5 in Dementia & Alzheimer's Care · 22 minutes
Alzheimer's progresses over 4-20 years through recognizable stages. Knowing where a resident is helps you adjust your communication, your expectations, and your interventions.
What you'll learn
- Identify the early, middle, and late stages of Alzheimer's
- Match common abilities and challenges to each stage
- Adjust your communication style to the resident's stage
- Recognize when a resident is transitioning between stages
From the lesson
Alzheimer's is a progressive disease. The person you meet today will be different in six months. Knowing the stages helps you give the right kind of help — too much help in early stages can damage dignity; too little in late stages can be neglect. This lesson is the practical map.
Early stage (mild Alzheimer's) — 2 to 4 years typical
What you'll see: • Forgetting recent events, names, appointments. • Repeating questions. • Word-finding difficulty. • Some withdrawal from social activities. • Some losses of judgment or planning ability. • Mostly independent in daily activities.
What helps: • Treat them as the adult they are. • Use written reminders, calendars, lists. • Allow them to lead the…