Dementia can affect each person in a different way. There are many behaviors that your loved one might be experiencing if they have dementia. With that being said, there are stages of dementia that can give you somewhat of an idea of what amount or type of symptoms your loved one might experience. Learning more about these stages of dementia can also help you to be prepared for what to expect in your loved ones dementia progress, too.
Stage 1
Stage 1 (CDR-0) is also known as no impairment. During this stage of dementia, your loved one is just at the beginning stage. They arent experiencing any cognitive dysfunctions yet and they arent having any other symptoms either.
Stage 2
Stage 2 (CDR-0.5) is also known as questionable impairment. This is, again, in the early stages of dementia. Your loved one might have some memory loss. You might chop this up to normal aging memory loss. However, it could be the early signs of dementia. If you arent sure whether it is normal aging or dementia, you or their senior care provider should have them seen by a doctor.
Stage 3
Stage 3 (CDR-1) is also known as mild impairment. In this stage of dementia, your loved one might have trouble getting to places they have been hundreds of times. They may lose or misplace objects more than usual. In addition, their short-term memory might be affected slightly, as well.
Stage 4
Stage 4 (CDR-2) is also known as moderate impairment. This is the middle stage of dementia. The symptoms that your loved one is experiencing are now quite noticeable. Your loved one might forget some words when they are talking. They may stop mid-sentence because they forgot what they were going to say. Your loved one might need help going to appointments or attending events or gatherings. In addition, your loved one might forget things that just happened and forget the names of people they recently met. Lastly, you may notice that your loved one has difficulties with incontinence.
Stage 5
Stage 5 (CDR-3) is also known as severe impairment. This is the later stage of dementia. Memory loss and confusion are in full swing. Your loved one probably needs helps with daily activities such as dressing, eating, and grooming. They may have difficulty talking. When trying to talk, they may repeat phrases or ramble on. They may have loss of reflexes and muscle control. Walking, sitting, and even swallowing may become limited in your loved one.
These are the stages of dementia that your loved one might experience. If you notice signs in the first couple of stages, be sure you have your loved one see a doctor as soon as possible.
Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-dementia-symptoms-types-and-diagnosis
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Dementia-Information-Page
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