What to Expect from the Different Stages of Dementia

Sometimes referred to as ‘early onset’, the early stages of dementia can be difficult to diagnose. Many people fail to seek medical treatment at this stage as they often aren’t aware that they are even living with a disease.

Some of the common symptoms to look out for in the early stages of dementia include:

• Forgetfulness
• Quick changes in moods
• Mild coordination issues
• Problems learning new things and picking up new information
• Problems concentrating
• Limited attention span

The middle stage of dementia is sometimes referred to as ‘moderate dementia disease’ and is often the point when people receive a full diagnosis. People in the middle stages of dementia normally need help to complete some daily tasks. It’s often at this stage when people start to seek extra help through community care services or potentially look at a long-term care solution.

Even though the middle stage of dementia brings more challenges, it still can be very manageable if you speak to a doctor and start treatment as soon as you can. It’s also important to make sure any family or friends feel supported when helping to care for someone with dementia, as it can often be quite overwhelming if they aren’t a professional carer themselves.

Often referred to as ‘severe’ or ‘advanced’, the late stages of dementia can become increasingly challenging. In this late stage, people living with dementia are sometimes incapable of looking after themselves, and are often unable to verbally communicate or complete any task without assistance.

At this late stage, most people with dementia suffer from server impairment in memory, losing the ability to process any new information or recognise where they are. Care is often required 24 hours a day at this stage, to ensure the person still has the highest quality of life possible.