How do I know if my mom may be in stage 4 Alzheimer's?
I've googled Alzheimer's stages many times. I would really appreciate responses from caregivers of what behaviors they noticed in stage 4. Sorry if sentence was incorrect. I could not post everything due to character limitations. Thanks
The stages of dementia do over lap. My husband has FTD diagnosed May 2015 but saw the signs as far back at the end of 2010. It is hard to deal with the different stages they go through. Just as I am able to adjust to the stage he is in he stars to decline some more. I can't keep up with the changes. Most days I feel like I'm drowning and barely able to breath. I'm the only one who takes care of him and work full time. My kids are in denial and are not much support. Currently looking into an adult day care or in home care. I It is very expensive. I know within the next year I will have to place him in a facility. Every day he is declining and able to do less things and make complete sentences. The Alz Association has a class called The Savey Caregiver. This is a great class to take. They teach you the different stages of the disease and how to deal with situations/behaviors.
I agree with a lot of what everyone has posted. There can be stages of over lapping. The Alz has a great class you can take called the Savey Care Giver. This class helps you deal with situations as they arise and talks about different stages of this horrible disease. My husband has FTD. I can't keep up with his declining stages. Just as I get use to the stage he is in he declines even more. Currently look for help adult day care or some one coming in to help. Don't know if I can afford this. I know with in the next year he will be in a facility. It is getting hard working full time and try to take care of him. I have no energy left.
Thanks Sue She does still bathe like clock work 930 pm. But yes I think the tine is coming. Thanks for your input. It helps a lot to have information from people that are experiencing the same issues
Erin, My mom stopped bathing in about stage 4 Alzheimer's and wouldn't allow me to assist her in the shower. That was the pivotal point to having to put her in a memory care unit. They can't remain filthy and if they aren't bathing, what else aren't they doing. It's time to have your mom supervised and assisted in a facility where she can't hurt herself and she can get the care she needs.
I forgot to mention , she has been touching her ear for a few weeks. She's unaware she's doing it I have asked her if she has an ear ache. She said no. She wears the same clothes. I remind her to change shirts and pants , and sometimes she puts a Kleenex on the top of her back under her shirt but you can see it. She used to wear makeup. Do her hair. This stopped about a month ago.
Thanks everyone who responded. She s frail, 94 pounds , no history of strokes.No short term memory. She s 79. Her 73 year old brother died last year after being diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia. He did wander off, had delusions, and paranoia . She is nothing like that. Biggest thing with her is loss of short term memory. Limited ability to learn some thing new , no matter how basic. She has no interest in anything outside of Fox News. Aricept and anti depressants seem to make no difference. She did fall 3 weeks ago. Thanks for all the input
Sunnygirl and Erinm60, I think we are all trying to make some sense out of a disease that doesn't make sense. We've been slammed with loved one's personality changes that have hit us up side the head. All we're trying to do is be ready when the next set comes at us.
The steps are just a guide. But it's good to know what's on the horizon. Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can! LOL Dad had a saying, forewarned is forearmed. We're just trying to "ride the wave" of dementia instead of being drowned by it. God help us all.
Erinm60, Has your mother had an MRI? Have they mentioned if she has any strokes? Have they asked about her types of decline and any other kinds of things like falls, balance issues, judgment problems, personality changes, hallucinations, etc ? With my LO that's how they diagnosed her with Vascular Dementia. It was explained to me that Vascular dementia is often seen in a stepped down manner, rather than gradual. Also, has she had a neuropsychological written evaluation? Her neurologist should be able to answer your questions and provide more information about her. I still read a lot about stages, because, with dementia, they still will be decline over time, so I check a lot for some reason. I suppose I am trying to prepare myself for what is to come.
Hi Erinm60, I, too, wanted a "point of reference" with the "stages", so I could be partially prepared for what was coming next. I got this off the internet but it didn't print a header (and I forgot where I read it) so I can't give credit where it is due. It is one person's interpretation of the stages set by the Alzheimer's Association.
Stage 4-Moderate Cognitive Decline (mild or early stage Alzheimer's disease) There would be an obvious decrease in knowledge of recent events--personal and community/world. Also a decrease in the performance of standardized testing, e.g. counting backwards, understanding and retaining what you've read or the capacity to plan an orchistrated event (like a dinner party). Usually different types of tests are given, due to the person's history of their abilities earlier in life. (Some of us weren't good at math, some didn't read so well, etc.)
I've found that the "Stages" are only for reference. My mom is at stage 6 but she is still capable of certain functions at stage 3 and 4. Other times, she is typically at 6. For us, it's been a mixture of stages at the same time. She does not have "sun-downing" (confusion at dusk into evening) which is pretty common with stage 6 but she has the suspicious behaviors and compulsive behaviors that are common in stage 6. What I'm trying to say is that it can be all mixed up, stages overlapping or many stage behaviors at the same time. Everyone is different. Like jeannegibbs implies, we've got to go through the different behaviors, regardless of when they show up. Hold on, it's quite a ride.
Thank you for your response. Yes I would like more guidelines. I guess we all do. Her MD saw her 3 weeks ago , noticed a cognitive decline immediately. Added an anti depressant . She's on the generic aricept for over a year. I asked her dr directly, does she have Alzheimer's. The dr said she didnt know. Well that was helpful lol. She did have a neuro psych eval about 10 months ago . Was diagnosed with MCI with amnesiac feautures. I know all Alzheimer's patients have had MCI , but not all people with MCI develop Alzheimer's.
First, are you sure that your mother has Alzheimer's? There are about 50 kinds of dementia, and they do not follow the same progression that ALZ does. If your mother has vascular dementia, for example, or mixed dementia, her progression will not follow the stages you have been reading about.
If your mother's dementia is indeed Alzheimer's, then what you have read about the stages are pretty much what you have to go on. Each individual's progression is unique, while following the overall pattern.
What you are asking is extremely common. Most caregivers want to know where their loved one is in the disease process. But the fact is even if we can figure it out, it changes nothing. If you could get confirmation that Mom is in stage 4, then what? You won't know how much longer she will stay in that stage. You wouldn't know how severe stage 5 will be -- fairly mild symptoms, or extreme? And you won't know how close to end-of-life she is.
Being aware of the general progression of the disease is helpful, so we know (sort of) what to expect. Trying to pinpoint exactly where our loved ones are is not as useful.
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My mom stopped bathing in about stage 4 Alzheimer's and wouldn't allow me to assist her in the shower.
That was the pivotal point to having to put her in a memory care unit. They can't remain filthy and if they aren't bathing, what else aren't they doing. It's time to have your mom supervised and assisted in a facility where she can't hurt herself and she can get the care she needs.
I think we are all trying to make some sense out of a disease that doesn't make sense. We've been slammed with loved one's personality changes that have hit us up side the head. All we're trying to do is be ready when the next set comes at us.
The steps are just a guide. But it's good to know what's on the horizon. Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can! LOL Dad had a saying, forewarned is forearmed. We're just trying to "ride the wave" of dementia instead of being drowned by it. God help us all.
Has your mother had an MRI? Have they mentioned if she has any strokes? Have they asked about her types of decline and any other kinds of things like falls, balance issues, judgment problems, personality changes, hallucinations, etc ? With my LO that's how they diagnosed her with Vascular Dementia. It was explained to me that Vascular dementia is often seen in a stepped down manner, rather than gradual. Also, has she had a neuropsychological written evaluation? Her neurologist should be able to answer your questions and provide more information about her.
I still read a lot about stages, because, with dementia, they still will be decline over time, so I check a lot for some reason. I suppose I am trying to prepare myself for what is to come.
I, too, wanted a "point of reference" with the "stages", so I could be partially prepared for what was coming next. I got this off the internet but it didn't print a header (and I forgot where I read it) so I can't give credit where it is due. It is one person's interpretation of the stages set by the Alzheimer's Association.
Stage 4-Moderate Cognitive Decline (mild or early stage Alzheimer's disease)
There would be an obvious decrease in knowledge of recent events--personal and community/world. Also a decrease in the performance of standardized testing, e.g. counting backwards, understanding and retaining what you've read or the capacity to plan an orchistrated event (like a dinner party). Usually different types of tests are given, due to the person's history of their abilities earlier in life. (Some of us weren't good at math, some didn't read so well, etc.)
I've found that the "Stages" are only for reference. My mom is at stage 6 but she is still capable of certain functions at stage 3 and 4. Other times, she is typically at 6. For us, it's been a mixture of stages at the same time. She does not have "sun-downing" (confusion at dusk into evening) which is pretty common with stage 6 but she has the suspicious behaviors and compulsive behaviors that are common in stage 6.
What I'm trying to say is that it can be all mixed up, stages overlapping or many stage behaviors at the same time. Everyone is different. Like jeannegibbs implies, we've got to go through the different behaviors, regardless of when they show up. Hold on, it's quite a ride.
If your mother's dementia is indeed Alzheimer's, then what you have read about the stages are pretty much what you have to go on. Each individual's progression is unique, while following the overall pattern.
What you are asking is extremely common. Most caregivers want to know where their loved one is in the disease process. But the fact is even if we can figure it out, it changes nothing. If you could get confirmation that Mom is in stage 4, then what? You won't know how much longer she will stay in that stage. You wouldn't know how severe stage 5 will be -- fairly mild symptoms, or extreme? And you won't know how close to end-of-life she is.
Being aware of the general progression of the disease is helpful, so we know (sort of) what to expect. Trying to pinpoint exactly where our loved ones are is not as useful.