| An estimated 23,000 people die each year in | | | | disease. There is progressive difficulty with |
| the United States from Alzheimer's disease. | | | | involved tasks in demanding situations and |
| It is the leading cause of dementia in the | | | | often growing anxiety and denial. Memory and |
| elderly, making it the eighth leading cause | | | | recall difficulties become apparent, |
| of death among that age demographic. | | | | concentration becomes effected and there is |
| Alzheimer's cannot currently be cured, but | | | | generally a loss of productivity. |
| understanding the seven stages of the disease | | | | |
| can help researchers, care-giving family | | | | Stage 4 or mild Alzheimer's, disease is |
| members and those afflicted. | | | | characterized by a flattening of mood and |
| | | | continued denial of the disorder. Familiar |
| Alzheimer's disease most often affects those | | | | faces, following directions to frequently |
| over 65. It is extremely rare for the | | | | visited places and orientation of persona and |
| conditioner to occur earlier. | | | | place are still intact, but assistance with |
| | | | complicated tasks becomes necessary. |
| Alzheimer's affects the cortical tissues of | | | | |
| the brain, causing them to atrophy. On | | | | Stage 5 Alzheimer's disease is considered |
| autopsy tangled webs of brain tissue | | | | moderate and the person in this stage can no |
| filaments (neurofibrillary tangles) and | | | | longer get along in daily life without the |
| patches of degenerative nerve endings, called | | | | assistance of others. They can remember major |
| senile plaques are found. It is believed that | | | | information about them selves and others but |
| these abnormalities cause a disruption of the | | | | recall of newer information is difficult. An |
| electrical impulses in the brain. | | | | individual at stage 5 needs assistance |
| | | | picking proper attire and making most |
| It is a devastating disease, robbing the | | | | decisions. |
| individual of their memories and ability to | | | | |
| recognize their loved ones or care even to | | | | Stage 6 is considered moderately severe and |
| complete simple tasks for themselves, but | | | | people begin to forget large amounts of |
| there are treatments available to help slow | | | | information about themselves and others |
| the course of Alzheimer's disease and | | | | including the names of their spouses and |
| researchers are working hard to find a cure. | | | | children. They will need help with all the |
| Understanding the stages of the disease is | | | | activities of daily living and disturbed |
| the key to both. | | | | sleep patterns becomes problematic and |
| | | | delusional or obsessive behavior, acute |
| There have been a number of attempts to | | | | anxiety and violent behavior can arise. |
| describe the disease using a medical model | | | | |
| but for caregivers and the rest of us it is | | | | Stage 7 is the last stage of the disease, and |
| easier to use the seven step functional | | | | in severe Alzheimer's disease speech is |
| stages to understand the changes brought on | | | | reduced to only a few words and is mostly |
| by the progression of the disease. | | | | unintelligible. Individuals lose their |
| | | | ability to sit up or walk. They cannot smile |
| Stage 1 is described as a normally | | | | and even lose their ability to hold up their |
| functioning adult without noticeable symptoms | | | | heads. The brain seems unable to direct the |
| and no changes in memory. | | | | movement of the body. |
| | | | |
| Stage 2 is often mistaken as part of the | | | | Alzheimer's disease isn't curable but there |
| normal aging process. The individual notices | | | | are treatments that can slow its progress and |
| their declining memory issues and some | | | | promising research that may one day lead to a |
| functional loss as well. They may have | | | | cure. Understanding the stages of the disease |
| trouble remembering the names of familiar | | | | and its progression can help those who are |
| people and places. | | | | afflicted, their loved ones and researchers |
| | | | ensure the best treatment now and promote |
| Stage 3 is defined as early Alzheimer's | | | | hope for the future. |