There are 7 stages of dementia, a disease that manifests itself in the form of cognitive or mental decline. Understanding these various stages can make it easier to identify and diagnose the condition so that sufferers can receive the appropriate care.
Stage One: Non-Cognitive Decline
During this stage, computed tomography-based scans which are taken of the patient’s brain may detect a few changes but they will not display any signs or symptoms of cognitive decline.
Stage Two: Very Moderate Cognitive Decline
The patient will forget words or lose items. Because these incidents may occur infrequently, few people around them will notice that something is wrong, and the symptoms are easy to confuse with traditional aging.
Stage Three: Moderate Cognitive Decline
The individual will start to display short-term losses in memory, such as forgetting information they recently read or the names of a new acquaintance. During this stage, it will also become difficult to organize things or make plans, and friends, family, or co-workers who are observant will begin to recognize that something is wrong.
Stage Four: Noticeable Cognitive Decline
While the behavior of those in stage three might be noticeable to close friends or family members who are paying attention, stage four comes with changes that are more drastic and noticeable. For instance, the sufferer might begin to lose interest in things that they’ve always loved and might choose not to meet with people or engage in social events.
Performing basic arithmetic will become challenging during this stage, which can lead to fiscal mismanagement and all the problems that come with it. Those with dementia might also at times appear disoriented. It is usually during this stage that an official dementia diagnosis is made.
Stage Five: Moderately Serious Cognitive Decline
By this point, the patient will have difficulty remembering basic things like their address or telephone number. They might have problems bathing or will forget to do so and something as simple as selecting and putting on clothes can be a hassle.
Stage Six: Serious Cognitive Decline
Memory losses now occur on a regular basis. Not only will the sufferer be unable to remember basic things like their address or phone number, but they won’t remember immediate family members and will often confuse one person with another. They frequently find themselves in a state of anxiety and confusion.
Stage Seven: Very Serious Cognitive Decline
This final phase of dementia culminates in the patient becoming totally dependent on those around them for the simplest things, from drinking to eating, sitting, or walking. They may also manifest a loss of bowel and bladder control. They will also find it difficult to speak in many cases and will struggle with their words.
Is Dementia Treatable?
It depends on the type. While vascular dementia (which comes from either a stroke or trans-ischemic episode) is usually non-treatable, dementia that comes from vitamin deficiency can be treated with the right supplements.
