Senior Care: The Stages of Dementia

Although there are many different types of dementia and everyone with dementia is different, there are some reliable stages of dementia that caregivers and loved ones can be aware of to help them better handle the disease. It’s truly best to promote the positive, or the highest level of independence the senior scan achieve at every stage of dementia, instead of dwelling on the abilities that have been lost.

1. 1^st Stage: High-Early: Challenges associated with the high-early stage of dementia deal with daily living. Things like managing the finances, cooking, driving, and managing medications become difficult at this stage due to cellular death in the area that is responsible for cognitive functioning. Seniors living alone at this stage need someone to check on them daily.
   
   
2. 2^nd Stage: Low-Early: Challenges such as showering and dressing are impacted during this stage, and the senior should have 24 hour supervision, due to impaired judgment and the senior’s inability to perceive safety issues. The senior at this stage is still goal-directed.
   
   
3. 3^rd Stage: Middle-Moderate: The ability to proceed through a long-remembered sequence of steps (like how to shave), is now lost. At this stage, the senior requires assistance for everything. At this stage, however, there are methods to getting the senior to participate in activities that are meaningful to them.
   
   
4. 4^th Stage: Late: Fine motor coordination, as well as talking and walking are severely compromised at this stage. One-on-one care is required; however, seniors at this stage can communicate through facial expressions and behavior.
   
   
5. 5^th Stage: End: At this stage, the brain has atrophied and the senior is not able to walk or talk at all. They can still be engaged using their five senses, however, and are fully capable of feeling loved, warm, and safe by their caregivers.

Always Best Care Senior Services has been providing in-home caregivers to seniors around the United States and Canada for the past 20 years. They also provide referral assistance for seniors interested in assisted living communities. If you are interested in receiving information on their dedicated caregivers in Birmingham, Alabama, or more information about dementia care in Birmingham, call (205) 874-9730 or email them at info@bham.abc-seniors.com today.