If you are experiencing symptoms like memory loss, confusion, or indecisiveness, then you might be at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This is a progressive neurological condition that makes the brain shrink which causes these symptoms. However, what exactly causes this disease is unknown. There is no cure available right now. But prompt treatment can help to slow down its progression. So, its symptoms must be noted in the initial stages of Alzheimer’s disease to get an early diagnosis and treatment. Learn about the stages of Alzheimer’s disease in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

There are 7 stages of Alzheimer’s disease (from mild to severe stage0, including:

1. Normal Outward Behavior:

This stage starts silently with some brain changes in the early years before showing any major symptoms. The only way to find out is to take a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan, which is an imaging test that shows how the brain is working.

2. Very mild changes:

In this stage, you might not notice any major changes in your loved ones. But you might notice certain minor differences in their behavior such as forgetting words or misplacing objects. While these symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease might not interfere with their ability to work or live independently, keep in mind that these symptoms might belong to normal aging too.

3. Mild decline:

This is the stage where you start noticing things in your loved one’s thinking and reasoning, such as:

• Forgetting things, they just read.
• Asking the same question over and over.
• Having trouble making plans or organizing things.
• Forgetting the names of new people, they meet.

You can help them by ‘becoming their memory,’ making sure they do all the important things such as taking care of their bills and visiting their appointments on time. You can also suggest they take less stress by retiring from work and putting their important documents (legal and financial) in an easily accessible place.

4. Moderate decline:

The decline in thinking and reasoning becomes more noticeable and obvious at this point. Your friend or family member might:

• Forget about their personality.
• Forget about the right date and month, even season too.
• Forget how to cook meals or even how to make an order online.
• Struggle in using their phone.
• Not understand what you said to them.
• Struggle to do tasks that involve multiple steps such as cleaning the house.

While you can help them with everyday chores and their safety, make sure that no one tries to take advantage of them personally or financially.

5. Moderately Severe decline:

Now at this stage, they start losing track of where they are and what time it is. They struggle to remember their address, phone number, or where they went to school at. They even struggle to choose the right kind of clothes to wear for the day or season. You can help them by laying their clothes on the bed in the morning and letting them dress by themselves to keep that sense of independence. If they ask the same question repeatedly, give them an answer in a reassuring voice. They might be asking you the question not to get the answer but more to know that you’re there. They might not remember the facts or details about a loved one, but they might still be able to tell a story. So, let them use their imagination at those times.

6. Severe decline:

In this stage, as their disease progresses, they start completely forgetting names but can still recognize faces. They might even confuse a person with someone else (like their brother with their son). Delusions might start happening to them, they start thinking about things they did in the past. You might need to help them go to the bathroom and try to connect with them even if they can’t talk efficiently. Many people with Alzheimer’s love to listen to music, read books, or look at their old photos. At this stage, they struggle with feeding themselves, swallowing, or getting dressed. They might experience weight loss, skin infections, trouble walking, or being able to fall asleep.

7. Very severe decline:

At this stage, many basic abilities start fading away such as eating, walking, and sitting up. You can help them by feeding them soft, easy-to-chew food by using a spoon and making sure they drink water regularly because, at this stage, they are not able to tell when they are thirsty. In this stage, people need help from caregivers. Because they’re not able to take care of themselves, they might need facilities such as nursing homes that provide professional care day and night.

Treatment

Treatment depends on a person’s age, health, medical history, and symptoms. While there is no cure, some medications can slow the progression of the disease. This can work for a few months to a few years. Treatment is also given to help them to manage their feelings of depression and anxiety. Even sleep disorders need to be treated. Therapy and support groups can help to cope with the symptoms they are experiencing. Families hire caregivers or send them to senior homes so that their care can be taken by professional caretakers.

Prevention

Alzheimer’s is not a preventable disease. However, following a healthy lifestyle is the best way to protect the brain’s health such as:

• Exercise daily
• Eating a healthy diet with healthy oils and foods low in saturated fat such as a Mediterranean diet.
• Manage your blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
• If you smoke, quit smoking.

Studies show that preserving thinking skills can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease such as participating in social events, reading, dancing, playing board games, creating art, playing an instrument, and other activities that require mental and social engagement.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disease that causes memory loss, confusion, changes in personality, and gradual loss of independence. There is no cure for this disease. Treatment can only slow down its progression. So, its symptoms must be diagnosed in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease to treat it accordingly.

Doral Health and Wellness has several urgent care clinics around New York that can cater to your family’s medical needs. We also have the best medical providers, physicians and staff that are highly trained in their respective specialties. To know more about the locations of our urgent care clinics, you can visit us at Doral Health and Wellness. If you are looking for urgent care near you, you can visit Doral Health and Wellness Urgent Care. We provide urgent care for common illnesses and injuries. Additionally, we also provide comprehensive care for any related injuries and health problems. We also offer other services, such as vaccinations, immunizations, and blood testing. For more info, visit us or call 1-347-384-5690.