My husband has Alzheimer's, probably considered moving into the moderate stage. We struggle with not knowing what will come next. Advice?

We know that no one, including our doctor, can predict exactly how the disease will progress. I see different things, like forgetting to let the dogs out or in, not remembering when they were fed, putting groceries in the wrong places, not working the remote control properly, not following the story line in tv programs, staying in bed or in front of the tv, focusing on every little ache and pain.

We know these are relatively small things, but we both want to know what the future holds. Ultimately we know what will happen, but when, how, what are the signs, what are major milestones in the disease. Is it strokes, not being able to walk, not knowing who others are anymore. It's so hard to just take one day at a time doing basically the same things over and over.

One big question I have and it's a difficult one to ask, but what do most ALZ patients die from? I know it is ALZ, but what happens physically to cause the body to shut down. Is there suffering?

We know that everyone is different in the length of time they live with the disease, but there is obviously some information that gives some level of expectation. My husband was diagnosed about 2 years ago. But by then we realized that the disease was becoming active up to 7 or 8 years earlier than that when he began to totally withdraw from ALL social activities and interaction with anyone outside the family. How long can one really expect to live? I know there are not any scientifically proven answers, but does anyone have any reasonable good averages/expectations that might be helpful and/or comforting? Thanks!