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