The Ultimate Guide to Dementia

18. Stages of dementia

Each stage of dementia presents unique challenges. The earliest stages of dementia may be asymptomatic, but neuroimaging reveals subtle changes that indicate early disease. Mild dementia, characterized by subtle behavior changes, forgetfulness, and difficulty coming up with the right words, can often be managed at home with scaffolding from loved ones. The next stage, moderate dementia, requires more care. People in this stage forget important details about their daily lives, wander, and may develop psychological symptoms such as paranoia. When this happens, people with moderate dementia often require assistance with all personal hygiene tasks and need daily supervision. Late-stage dementia needs around-the-clock care, as people with advanced disease progression lose awareness of their surroundings and experience a significant decline in their physical abilities.