What is Alzheimer's Disease?

  • Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate, and carry out daily activities.
  • As Alzheimer’s progresses, individuals may also experience changes in personality and behavior, such as anxiety, suspiciousness or agitation, as well as delusions or hallucinations.
  • There are now more than 5 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s Changes the Brain

  • Unfortunately, neurons are the primary type of cells destroyed by Alzheimer's disease.
  • Alzheimer's disease disrupts both the way electrical charges travel within cells and the activity of neurotransmitters.

Alzheimer’s Disease Stages

Very mild decline

  • Individuals may feel as if they have memory lapses, especially in forgetting familiar words or names, or the location of keys, eyeglasses or other everyday objects. But these problems are not evident during a medical examination or apparent to friends, family or co-workers.

Mild decline

  • Friends and family begin to notice problems with the individual's memory
  • Difficulty remembering the names of new people
  • Retaining little details while reading becomes difficult
  • Misplacing valuable objects
  • Decreased ability to plan and organize

Moderate decline

  • A medical interview will detect clear-cut deficiencies in the individual's memory
  • Decreased knowledge of current events
  • Impaired ability to perform mental arithmetic
  • Decreased capacity to perform tasks such as paying bills, and managing finances
  • Reduced memory of personal history

Moderately severe decline

  • Major gaps in memory can be detected during a medical interview
  • Requires assistance with day-to-day activities such as choosing proper clothing
  • May be unable to recall their current address or telephone number
  • Confusion regarding the date, day of the week, or season

Severe decline

  • Extensive help required with daily activities such as dressing, toileting
  • Occasionally forget the name of their spouse or primary caregiver
  • Experience disruption of their normal sleep pattern
  • Experience significant personality changes
  • Tend to wander and become lost

Very severe decline

  • Lose the ability to respond to their environment and the ability to speak
  • Need help with eating and toileting
  • Lose the ability to walk and control/support their bodies