The first symptoms of Alzheimer's vary from person to person. Memory problems are typically one of the first signs related to Alzheimer's disease.
Decline in non-memory aspects of cognition, such as word-finding, vision/spatial issues, and impaired reasoning or judgment.
PROGRESSION
Alzheimer's disease progresses in 4 stages:
1. Preclinical
2. Mild (sometimes called early-stage)
3. Moderate
4. Severe (sometimes called late-stage)
People seem to be symptom-free, but toxic changes are taking place in the brain. Damage occurring in the brain of someone with Alzheimer's disease begins to show itself in very early clinical signs and symptoms.
For most people with Alzheimer's (those who have the late-onset variety) symptoms first appear in the mid-60s.
Signs of early-onset Alzheimer's begin between 30s and mid-60s.
As the disease progresses, people experiences greater memory loss and other cognitive difficulties.
In mild Alzheimer's disease, a person may seem to be healthy but has more and more trouble making sense of the world around them. Problems could include:
More intensive supervision and care become necessary, which can be difficult for many spouses and families. Symptoms could include:
People with severe Alzheimer's cannot communicate and are completely dependent on others for care. Nearing the end, the person may be in bed most or all the time as the body shuts down. Their symptoms include:
Most often cause of death for people with Alzheimer's disease is aspiration pneumonia. This pneumonia develops when a person cannot swallow properly and takes food or liquids into the lungs instead of air.
Copyright © 2024 EndAlz.org - All Rights Reserved - The End Alz Association is a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Donations are tax deductible. Federal tax ID number is 82-4418584