Dementia refers to a group of diseases that cause memory loss and affect other mental functions. It commonly occurs as people reach around 60 years of age and beyond. But the problem here is that, at this age phase, age-related memory loss also prevails. As a result, forgetting crucial things or daily routine tasks becomes a part of daily living. So, how can you differentiate dementia from age-related memory issues?
The earlier the diagnosis, the better the chances are of treating this disease. For early diagnosis, knowledge of early signs and the stages of dementia is essential. In this post, you'll find all you need to know about the stages of dementia and how to reduce the risk of this condition.
Dementia is a progressive disease, so there are many stages and symptoms as the disease progresses. Fortunately, the early signs of dementia can be diagnosed if you pay attention. At an early stage, this disease doesn't greatly affect your daily routine and overall life quality. Check the table below to know the difference between dementia and common aging changes:
| Signs of Dementia Examples | Normal Age-Related Changes Examples |
| Recent memory loss | Occasionally forgetting learned information |
| Forgetting how to do simple routine tasks | Needing help to do things you may have done independently before |
| Problems with language | Problems finding the right word sometimes |
| Frequent poor judgment and decision-making | Making a bad decision once in a while |
| Inability to manage a budget | Missing a monthly payment |
| Losing track of the date or season | Forgetting what day it is momentarily |
| Misplacing things and finding it difficult to retrace the steps to find them | Losing things from time to time |
The stages of dementia vary from person to person. However, there are some common symptoms associated with different stages of dementia. The stages of dementia along with symptoms are listed below:
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affects senior adults, and most of the affected persons ultimately develop Alzheimer's disease. Some common signs associated with this stage of dementia include:
As the disease progress, so do the complications. People who have moderate dementia need help to perform their activities of daily living. It becomes challenging for them to do their routine activities and self-care as the disease progresses. Symptoms of moderate dementia include:
Severe dementia is the stage of extreme decline in mental and physical capabilities. It can cause:
The rate at which dementia progresses is different for every person. It also depends upon different types of dementia. For example, Alzheimer's disease, one of the many types of dementia, progresses at the slowest speed. Other types of dementia affect a person's senses more quickly. There are a lot of factors that affect the rate of progression of dementia, and these include:
Although there is no way to prevent this disease, some precautions can help you slow down the progress. With care and ensuring these preventive measures, you can reduce the risk of dementia considerably:
Understanding the stages of dementia is the first step to preventing this disease. If you observe the early signs of dementia, talk to your doctor immediately. Never ignore any symptom considering it a regular age-related change. Early diagnosis can help you reduce the rate of progression of dementia. Moreover, it also helps the experts to work on new treatment methods for this severe disease.