Many people are living with Alzheimer’s. There’s a lot of information about this disease that you can read about, but for those who suffer from it or who have loved ones with Alzheimer’s, one thing is for sure – nothing can prepare you for such a diagnosis.
But what if you get this diagnosis? What can you do? If you have never read or heard anything about Alzheimer’s or dementia, you could be filled with dread. But now is not the time to dwell on those things as there’s a lot to take care of. While every case is unique, there’s really something that you can do to ensure that you know what to expect after getting a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.
Gateway Home Health and Hospice, your trusted organization for the best home care services, shares some vital information:
The Three Stages of Alzheimer’s
There are three stages of Alzheimer’s disease: mild or the early stage, moderate or the middle stage, and severe or the late stage. Here is what you can expect during each stage of Alzheimer’s Disease:
Early-Stage
In its early stages, people’s lives go on as usual, although there may be some noticeable changes like difficulty finding the right words or trouble doing tasks that they used to do with ease. Losing things may also be a sign. Here’s what you can expect if you’ve been diagnosed with Early-Stage Alzheimer’s:
- Forgetting words
- Misplacing stuff
- Forgetting something you’ve just seen or read
- Asking the same question repeatedly
- Difficulty in planning or organizing
- Trouble with familiar tasks
- Forgetting rules
- Problem with reading or with numbers
Middle-Stage
In the middle part of the journey with Alzheimer’s, the person with this diagnosis might experience difficulties with the limitations that come with dementia itself and the lack of support and understanding for this disease.
Here’s what you can expect during this stage:
- Decrease in memory
- Difficulty recognizing family or friends
- Difficulty performing complex tasks
- Repeating stories of favorite things, people, or places
- Inability to manage finances
- Less concern with appearance and hygiene
- Inability to choose proper clothing for the day or circumstance
- Depression and anxiety
- Changes in sleeping pattern
- Expression of frustration
- Inability to recognize the current location
- Difficulty in communication
Late-Stage Alzheimer’s
More support and proper care are indeed necessary during the late stage of Alzheimer’s. During this stage, it might not be enough to receive care from family members, and you might need to get home care nursing services for everybody’s well-being. The earlier the relationship with the care provider is established, the better.
Here’s what you can expect during the final stages of Alzheimer’s Disease:
- Complete loss of memory
- Inability to talk
- Mistaking people for somebody else
- Difficulty sitting and walking
- Delusions
- Difficulty swallowing and breathing
- Strong need to hold something or someone for comfort
- Inability to recognize hunger or thirst
- Failure to perform basic activities or tasks
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
Conclusion
Now that you know what you can expect from every stage of Alzheimer’s disease, it is crucial that you do your best to get yourself or your loved one with this disease sufficient care and support. During the early stages, the family might provide what the patient needs. Still, it’s essential to start seeking reliable home care services and establishing a connection early on because whether or not you like it, they will reach a point where they require professional care.
Of course, it is vital that no matter what stage of the disease, the patient is showered with as much love and care as possible. Allow them to preserve their quality of life as well. The family needs to be prepared for it because even if they’re not the ones going through it when their loved one fails to recognize them or forget about their relationship, it’s going to be difficult.
Gateway Home Health and Hospice can provide reliable home care nursing services for the elderly and people with Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions. Contact our team today to find out how we can provide the support and assistance your loved one needs.