Inside the Dementia Epidemic: A Daughter's Memoir Read Online Free Page A

doctor’s reserve and his sad eyes.

A New Beginning

    W ith the benefit of hindsight, I can see that my mother’s behavior over the past fifteen years fit into the stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Alarms were sounding but I knew too little to take advantage of what medication exists to relieve the symptoms. Had I known the stages of Alzheimer’s, I might have been able to help my mother earlier, and in that way, helped myself as well. Knowing what I do now, I realize that, the day she slid her car into the snow ditch, my mother was already in Stage Four.
    I outline the stages on the following pages, in order that you may be better informed than I was.
    Dementia usually progresses so slowly that, as family members and friends, we can deny or rationalize for many years the changes we see in our loved ones. If they are over age eighty when diagnosed, they might live as little as three to four years, but if they are younger when diagnosed, they can live with the disease for up to twenty years. It’s also difficult to label a person’s behavior, as the stages often overlap from year to year, and may even seem to change from day to day or hour to hour.
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    The Alzheimer’s Association describes 7 Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease:
    Stage 1: Normal functioning. The person’s doctor, family and friends cannot detect a problem.
    Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline , which may be normal aging or early dementia. The person may forget words or where to find objects. No symptoms can be detected by a doctor, family or friends.
    Stage 3: Mild cognitive decline. Sometimes Alzheimer’s can be diagnosed at this stage. A doctor, family or friends may notice problems with memory or concentration. The person may:
         Have noticeable problems coming up with the right word or name
         Have trouble remembering names when introduced to new people
         Have noticeably greater difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings
         Forget material they have just read
         Lose or misplace a valuable object
         Have increasing trouble with planning or organizing
    Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline. Mild or early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. A cognitive assessment by a doctor should be able to detect this stage. The person may:
         Forget recent events
         Experience an impaired ability to perform challenging mental arithmetic—for example, counting backward from 100 by 7’s
         Experience greater difficulty performing complextasks, such as planning dinner for guests, paying bills or managing finances
         Experience forgetfulness about their own personal history
         Become moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations
    Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline. Moderate or mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Problems with memory, cognitive tasks, or judgment are noticeable, and the person needs help with daily activities such as cooking, cleaning and paying bills. The person may:
         Be unable to recall their own address or telephone number or the high school or college from which they graduated
         Become confused about where they are or what day it is
         Have trouble with less challenging mental arithmetic, such as counting backward from 40 by subtracting 4’s or from 20 by 2’s
         Need help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion
         Still remember significant details about themselves and their family
         Still require no assistance with eating or using the toilet
    Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline. Moderately severe or mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease. The person may:
         Lose awareness of recent experiences as well as of their surroundings
         Remember their own name but have difficulty with their personal history
         Distinguish familiar and unfamiliar faces but have troubleremembering the name of a spouse or caregiver
         Need help dressing