Dementia stages provide doctors and caregivers an assessment of a person's cognitive health. This information will help to determine what treatment is appropriate for the individual. Dementia is a group of symptoms that affects a person's mental functions. Much of an individual's thinking, memory and ability to reason is lost in dementia.
When going through one of the seven dementia stages, a person will find it difficult to complete daily functions. The symptoms of dementia can also cause changes in a person's personality, mood and behavior. Some telltale signs to watch for include memory loss, trouble with language and comprehension and disorientation. Dementia is not to the same as Alzheimer's disease, although at times they appear synonymous. Alzheimer's is a disease that will cause one kind of dementia. On the other hand, having dementia doesn't mean having Alzheimer's disease.
The commonly used scale to determine dementia stages is the Global Deterioration Scale for Assessment of Primary Degenerative Dementia (GDS). It divides the process into the following seven stages:
Stage 1: No Cognitive Decline (No Dementia)
In this stage, there is no memory loss and the person is mentally healthy. Those with no dementia are considered to be in stage 1.
Stage 2: Very Mild Cognitive Decline (No Dementia)
This stage describes normal forgetfulness associated with aging, such as forgetting names and where familiar objects were left. These symptoms are not evident to loved ones or doctors.
Stage 3: Mild Cognitive Decline (No Dementia)
This stage describes increased forgetfulness, slight difficulty concentrating and decreased work performance. People may have difficulty finding the right words or get lost more often. A person's loved ones will begin to notice a decline in cognitive functions. The average duration of this stage is seven years before the onset of dementia.
Stage 4: Moderate Cognitive Decline (Early-Stage)
This dementia stage describes difficulty concentrating, decreased memory of events that recently happened, and difficulty managing money or traveling to new places alone. Individuals have trouble completing complex tasks in an efficient, accurate way. In this stage, people may be in denial about having symptoms and find it difficult to socialize, and may withdraw from family and friends. Cognitive problems are clearly detected by doctors during this stage during a routine interview and exam with the patient. The average duration of this stage is two years.
Stage 5: Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline (Mid-Stage)
People in this dementia stage have severe memory deficiencies and need some help with completing daily activities including bathing, getting dressed and preparing meals. Memory loss is more prominent and people may not remember their address, phone number, what time it is, the day of the week or where they are located. The average duration of this dementia stage is 1.5 years.
Stage 6: Severe Cognitive Decline (Middle Dementia)
Extensive help is required to carry out daily activities for people in this dementia stage. They have little memory of recent events, start forgetting the names of close family members and find it difficult to finish tasks or count down from 10.
People in this stage suffer from incontinence, which is the loss of bladder or bowel control. The ability to speak declines and there are obvious changes in personality. Personality changes include delusions, compulsions, anxiety and agitation. The average duration of this dementia stage is 2.5 years.
Stage 7: Very Severe Cognitive Decline (Late Dementia)
In this dementia stage, people have no ability to speak or communicate and need help with most activities such as using the toilet and eating. The ability to walk is often lost, along with other physical skills. The average duration for this dementia stage is 2.5 years
