Alzheimer's disease is a common type of dementia that slowly erodes our memories and ability to think. The disease usually appears in old age, and there is currently no known cure.
Many of us know someone who's struggling with Alzheimer's or someone who has lost a loved one to this disease. This leaves many of us with the question: How do we care for those we love, and how do we prevent this disease from taking over our minds as we age?
Today, we want to help you learn more about Alzheimer's disease. We'll cover the stages of Alzheimer’s disease, what causes it, and how you can help your loved one if they're struggling.
What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that affects an individual’s brain, causing memory loss, confusion, and brain-cell death. Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all dementia cases.
The term Alzheimer’s is commonly used as a general term to describe memory problems and is often used interchangeably with the term “dementia.” However, these terms are different, as Alzheimer’s refers to a specific, patterned brain disease.
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia. Dementia is an umbrella term for many different types of cognitive decline diseases and illnesses.
Alzheimer’s is also different from mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI involves slight cognitive decline that is noticeable but does not impact daily activities. MCI is technically its own diagnosis and may improve in time, remain stable, or lead to further stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging; however, it is relatively common among individuals aged 65 and over, affecting 6.9 million older Americans.
What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease?
Scientists aren't 100% sure about what causes Alzheimer's; however, they have a few leads. There's striking evidence pointing towards beta-amyloid proteins and tau proteins as some of the main causes of Alzheimer's disease.
Beta-amyloids and tau proteins naturally collect in the brain throughout the day. A healthy brain and body can clear these proteins each night during sleep, preventing excess build-up.
Individuals with Alzheimer's have trouble clearing beta-amyloids and tau proteins out of their brains. Beta-amyloids build up into amyloid plaques, and tau proteins twist into tangles. These plaques and tangles are toxic to brain cells and cognitive function. They cause inflammation and a loss of connection between neurons, ultimately leading to brain cell death.
The process of losing brain cell functioning is what causes the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Beta-amyloids and tau proteins can build up for one to two decades before causing noticeable symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Damage caused by these plaques and tangles is thought to be irreversible, making treatment after Alzheimer's diagnosis difficult.
There are risk factors that could make you or your loved one more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, including:
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Old age. Alzheimer's disease almost exclusively impacts older adults, with a majority of cases happening to those 65 and older. Only about 200,000 people in the United States have early-onset Alzheimer's (Alzheimer's before age 65), compared to about 6.9 million people aged 65 and older.
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Unstable underlying conditions. Individuals with poorly managed diabetes or high blood pressure may be more at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
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Unhealthy lifestyle choices. Eating poorly or not getting regular exercise can make your body more susceptible to diseases like Alzheimer's. Other choices like drinking alcohol or smoking can also increase your risk of Alzheimer's.
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Family history. Individuals with a family history of dementia or Alzheimer's may be more at risk of developing the disease.
What Are The Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease?
There are three main stages of Alzheimer’s disease: mild, moderate, and severe. Each stage has different symptoms and treatment methods.
Early-stage (Mild) Alzheimer's Disease
The first stage of Alzheimer's disease involves mild cognitive impairment. Individuals with this stage of Alzheimer's can usually live on their own and complete activities of daily living with slight difficulty.
This stage is the best time to get an early diagnosis of Alzheimer's and begin treatment for the disease. People in the early stages of Alzheimer's can still have a good quality of life as long as they're taking steps to slow down the disease's progression.
Common early signs of mild or early-stage Alzheimer's include:
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Trouble with short-term memory, for example, forgetting recent events or recently learned information, new people's names, or where they put an item.
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Problems with planning or organizing.
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Slight difficulty with daily activities.
Middle-stage (Moderate) Alzheimer's Disease
Moderate Alzheimer’s disease is the longest stage, often where symptoms become most noticeable and start to impact daily life significantly.
At the beginning of this stage, individuals may still receive treatment to slow down the progression of the disease, but as it progresses, treatment may shift to helping with the symptoms. Not much can be done to recover brain cell function after critical connections and neurons have been destroyed.
Common warning signs of moderate or middle-stage Alzheiemr’s disease include:
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Feelings of confusion or frustration.
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Difficulty expressing oneself or thoughts due to speech impairment.
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Forgetting key memories like events, personal history, or basic information like their address or phone number.
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A need for help with activities of daily living. For example, getting dressed, making meals, doing laundry, or other everyday tasks may become difficult.
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Experiencing delusions or paranoia.
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Compulsive or obsessive behavior.
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Personality changes.
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Trouble with bladder or bowel functions.
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Changes in sleeping habits, for example, an inability to sleep or sleeping at odd times.
This is the stage where most people start to receive professional caregiving services. Those who are unable to get professional help often rely on family members or loved ones for help with daily tasks.
Late-stage (Severe) Alzheimer's Disease
In severe or late-stage Alzheimer’s, the affected individual can no longer take care of themselves or live on their own in any capacity. Individuals require professional help and benefit from treatment methods that make their symptoms easier to bear.
Symptoms of severe Alzheimer's disease include:
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An inability to interact coherently with their environment.
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An inability to control movement.
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Difficulty communicating in any meaningful way, including when they’re in pain.
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Round-the-clock need for long-term care and support.
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Loss of immune function or prone to infections.
How Is Alzheimer’s Treated?
Alzheimer's is an incurable disease. However, doctors can slow the progression of the disease or treat symptoms depending on the stage of Alzheimer's.
Doctors use medications to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease during the mild and moderate stages. These medications target beta-amyloids and attempt to reduce their presence within the brain. However, these treatments cannot restore dead brain cells.
Treatments for the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are used in the moderate to severe stages. During this time, it's not usually possible to prevent or slow the progression of the disease, and care often shifts to helping the affected individuals remain comfortable and reducing confusion.
Treatment at moderate to severe stages involves professional caregiving services, usually at a memory care facility. These specialized caregivers know how to help those with Alzheimer's feel safer in facility environments and can help calm them down when they're feeling confused.
Individuals at memory care facilities may also participate in group or therapeutic activities to help reduce anxiety and confusion. These activities and social interactions could help slow the disease's progression or reduce the severity of symptoms.
What Can You Do If Your Loved One Has Alzheimer’s Disease?
If you suspect your loved one has Alzheimer's disease, getting an early diagnosis and setting up a care plan in advance is essential. Alzheimer's treatments are more effective at early stages, so the faster you act, the more time you may have to spend with your loved one.
The first thing you should do is make an appointment to get your loved one assessed for Alzheimer's disease. Doctors can perform brain scans to detect amyloid plaques. If there are excessive plaques, it's likely your loved one has Alzheimer's.
If your loved one still has the cognitive ability to make end-of-life decisions and planning, you may want to discuss or encourage them to do so if they haven't already. It wouldn't be a bad idea to create a plan of care with them that addresses common concerns with cognitive decline.
Ask your loved one if they would be willing to move closer so you could provide care if they needed it. As they start to need more help with daily tasks, you could also introduce the idea of a home helper to take care of meals, errands, or household chores.
In the meantime, it's important that your loved one takes their health seriously. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, socializing, taking medications, and getting sufficient sleep are essential parts of slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
You may also want to look into health or Long-Term Care Insurance plans. If your loved one has LTC Insurance, they can utilize it to pay for long-term care. If they don't, it's probably too late for your loved one to qualify for a new LTC Insurance policy.
Other options like Medicaid or Veterans Affairs cover long-term care needs and memory care, but it can take time to qualify for benefits or find the right care provider. The earlier you start looking for long-term care options, the better off you and your loved one will be.
Alzheimer’s Disease 101: Causes, Stages, and Treatments
Alzheimer’s is a serious, incurable disease that gets progressively worse as it continues, causing severe loss of memory and thinking capabilities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, responsible for a majority of dementia cases globally.
There are three stages of Alzheimer’s: mild, moderate, and severe. Individuals receive different types of treatment at each stage, some targeting the causes and others targeting the symptoms.
If you suspect your loved one might have Alzheimer’s, it’s essential to act fast and let their doctors know. The sooner your loved one can get diagnosed, the better chances they’ll have of slowing the disease’s progression, possibly extending their life.
Memory care is the best option for those with Alzheimer’s disease. It offers specialized staff and an environment trained to help individuals with cognitive decline. LTC News offers a tool to help you search for the best memory care or other types of long-term care near you.
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Care Directory
Comprehensive caregiving & care facility listings in your area
- Find and contact facilities near you
- Every major care and facility type
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- Find quality care for you or a loved one
In addition to our Care Directory, we also have several resources on caregiving and long-term care, including:
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How To Prevent or Delay Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease – The best way to treat dementia or Alzheimer’s is to prevent or delay its onset. You can do this in several ways, including living a healthier lifestyle, getting enough sleep, and keeping other chronic conditions well-managed.
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How to Get Paid as a Family Caregiver – Caring for a loved one can be financially draining; however, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for some caregivers. Medicaid, Veterans Affairs, and some local programs can help family caregivers get paid for their hard work.
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Managing Caregiver Burnout: Causes, Symptoms and Solutions – Caregiver burnout happens when we overextend ourselves to care for our loved ones. Burnout can happen to anyone, and it’s more common than you’d think. This article discusses how to tell if you have caregiver burnout and the resources available to help you recover.