The Short Answer To A Big Question
On this page we will discuss the development of an Alzheimers / dementia Life Expectancy Calculator, but lets first address the question most people ask after receiving the diagnosis of an incurable disease: How long do I have left to live? With dementia, the answer differs depending on the type. By far the most common form of dementia is Alzheimers disease, and the average life expectancy after diagnosis is 10 years. Other dementias have different life expectancies. Someone with vascular dementia lives for about five years after diagnosis. Someone who has dementia with Lewy bodies will typically live for six to twelve more years.
Average life expectancies for the most common types of dementia are as follows:
| Dementia type |
Making Medical Decisions For People With Dementia
With dementia, a persons body may continue to be physically healthy. However, dementia causes the gradual loss of thinking, remembering, and reasoning abilities, which means that people with dementia at the end of life may no longer be able to make or communicate choices about their health care. If there are no advance care planning documents in place and the family does not know the persons wishes, caregivers may need to make difficult decisions on behalf of their loved one about care and treatment approaches.
When making health care decisions for someone with dementia, its important to consider the persons quality of life. For example, medications are available that may delay or keep symptoms from getting worse for a limited time. Medications also may help control some behavioral symptoms in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimers or a related dementia. However, some caregivers might not want drugs prescribed for people in the later stages of these diseases if the side effects outweigh the benefits.
It is important to consider the goals of care and weigh the benefits, risks, and side effects of any treatment. You may need to make a treatment decision based on the persons comfort rather than trying to extend their life or maintain their abilities for longer.
Who Has Alzheimers Disease
- In 2020, as many as 5.8 million Americans were living with Alzheimers disease.1
- Younger people may get Alzheimers disease, but it is less common.
- The number of people living with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.
- This number is projected to nearly triple to 14 million people by 2060.1
- Symptoms of the disease can first appear after age 60, and the risk increases with age.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Later Stage Dementia
The symptoms of later stage dementia include the following:
- Severe memory loss including forgetting recent memories , thinking they are living in an earlier time period and difficulties recognising themselves and others .
- Problems with concentration, planning and orientation. They may only be able to carry out very simple activities and become increasingly disorientated in time and place.
- Problems with verbal communication. The person may not understand what is being said to them, they may lose speech and use sounds, gestures and body language instead. They may also repeat the same word or phrase.
- Mobility and physical problems. Many people gradually lose their ability to move around, stand or get themselves out of a chair. Not all people in the later stages will have problems with mobility.
- Changes in behaviour. The person may behave in ways that are out of character such as becoming distressed or agitated, repetitive or aggressive. This can be very upsetting for the person themselves, and their family and friends. These behaviours are often the result of the person having needs that arent being met or because they are confused, distressed, or have delirium. Behaviour is often a means of communication.
Importance Of Advance Care Planning For People With Dementia And Their Caregivers
Someone newly diagnosed with dementia might not be able to imagine the later stages of the disease. But when a person is first diagnosed with Alzheimers or another dementia, its important to make plans for the end of life before the person with the disease can no longer complete advance directives and other important legal documents. End-of-life care decisions are more complicated for caregivers if the dying person has not expressed the kind of care they would prefer.
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Dangers Of Living Alone With Dementia
1. Falling
Approximately 1 in 3 adults over 65 and 1 in 2 adults over 80 fall at least once per year. Those with long-term health conditions like Alzheimers disease are at a higher risk of falling due to changes in their depth perception, which affects balance.
2. Getting lost
Those with dementia often become confused or agitated, causing them to wander and get lost. Wandering is a risk for all Alzheimers patients. Its especially dangerous for those who live alone without anyone monitoring them.
3. Forgetting daily needs
Forgetfulness is a common symptom in all stages of Alzheimers, but its one that evolves. Changes in cognition reduce an Alzheimers patients ability to make decisions about their day-to-day needs , eventually making them unfit to live independently.
Questions like Can someone with dementia live alone? are not ones that can be definitively answered because theyre dependent on individual circumstances. Therefore, always consult the professional opinion of a dementia patients doctor.
If your loved one has dementia and you are unable to care for them or need a break, we have a solution for you.
Can Alzheimers Patients Live At Home
Alzheimers disease is the most common form of dementia, so the same answers as above apply to the question, Can Alzheimers patients live at home? According to the Alzheimers Association, many people with Alzheimers live on their own during the early stages of the disease but will eventually need regular oversight.
The stages of Alzheimers disease are divided into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe.
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Do Treatments Add Time To Life Expectancy
Experts simply dont know whether treatments help a person live longer with Alzheimers disease. AD and other similar dementias progress no matter what. Treatments like medications and therapies have been conclusively shown to help manage symptoms, meaning they make it easier to live with the disease, but they do not reverse symptoms. The memory of a person with dementia who takes medications like cholinesterase inhibitors, for example, will be slightly better than the memory of someone who is not on medication. Quality of life therefore improves with treatment. This means better years with dementia, but probably not more years.
DementiaCareCentral.com was developed with funding from the National Institute on Aging . The site is for educational purposes, medical decisions should not be based on its content and its authors assume no liability for errors or omissions. Content cannot be reproduced without permission.©1995-2022.
Can Alzheimer’s Disease Be Prevented
As the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not clear, there’s no known way to prevent the condition.
But there are things you can do that may reduce your risk or delay the onset of dementia, such as:
- staying physically fit and mentally active
These measures have other health benefits, such as lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease and improving your overall mental health.
Read more about preventing Alzheimer’s disease.
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Time From Diagnosis To Institutionalization And Death In People With Dementia
Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Correspondence
Karlijn J. Joling, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Van der Boechorststraat 7, Amsterdam 1081 BT, The Netherlands.
Olin Janssen
Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Anneke L. Francke
Nivel, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Pieter-Jelle Visser
Alzheimer Centre Limburg, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Alzheimer Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Hein P.J. van Hout
Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Correspondence
Olin Janssen
Anneke L. Francke
Pieter-Jelle Visser
Hein P.J. van Hout
Life Expectancy After An Alzheimers Disease Diagnosis
James M. Ellison, MD, MPH
Swank Center for Memory Care and Geriatric Consultation, ChristianaCare
Learn about the many factors that affect average life expectancy after a diagnosis of Alzheimers disease.
Genevieve* asked if she could speak privately with me after her mothers evaluation session and diagnosis of Alzheimers disease. I didnt want to ask this in front of her, she said, but my brother and I want to knowhow much time does she have left? Life expectancy after a diagnosis of Alzheimers disease, while uncomfortable to discuss, can be important information for patients and families to have. Ill describe what we know about this topic, and some of the factors that affect survival with and without dementia. Please bear in mind that this information is based on statistical averages, and there can be individual variations in the disease and a person’s resilience to it.
*The name and details were changed to protect privacy.
The most honest answer to Genevieves question may be, It depends. After a diagnosis of Alzheimers disease or another dementia, people can live for months to years, depending on individual circumstances. Its been shown that factors like age, race, genetics, health background, socioeconomic status, and education influence the life expectancy of large numbers of people with Alzheimers. However, every individuals disease is different, and may not follow the average course.
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How Does Alzheimer’s Lead To Death
Alzheimers disease is a degenerative brain disorder in which brain cells destruct. The condition results in a decline in memory, behavior, and mental capabilities.
It is not Alzheimer’s disease that kills a person. Death typically results from an inability to carry out routine activities, such as eating, taking care while walking, visiting the bathroom and toilet. This inability to take care of oneself makes the affected person fall prey to problems, such as malnutrition, dehydration, falls, and infections , which lead to death.
Pneumonia is a common cause of death in people with Alzheimers disease. Problems while swallowing make ingested food particles enter the respiratory tract and the lungs instead of the esophagus. This ingested food causes pneumonia in the lungs.
How Many Stages Of Dementia Are There
There are several different types of Dementia, with Alzheimers disease being the most common. Though when it comes to the different stages of Dementia, we can typically categorise the trajectory of the disease as mild, moderate or severe.
Although this three stage model is useful for providing an overview of early, middle and final stages of Dementia, most people prefer a seven stage model that breaks cognitive decline down into seven specific categories. The progression of Dementia will be different for everyone, but knowing where a loved one falls on this scale can help to identify signs and symptoms, whilst also determining the most appropriate care needs. So, what are the 7 stages of Dementia?
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What You Can Do For Your Loved One
As an individual with dementia declines, you can help them by providing a loving and supportive presence. Sit with them. Hold their hand. Play music they enjoy.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your loved one is helping to get their affairs in order. Ensure that financial and healthcare powers of attorney are put in place, so you can make decisions when your loved one is no longer able. Look into funeral arrangements before you need them, so you dont need to make important decisions in a time of crisis.
Talk to your loved ones physician about the possibility of palliative care support in the home and hospice care when your loved one is ready.
Life Expectancy And Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia. Abnormal proteins cause steadily increasing brain damage. This initially affects thought and memory and remember and progressively causes failure of all body systems.
Alzheimers is typically diagnosed at the mild dementia stage when memory and planning problems start to affect daily life. The life expectancy for an individual with Alzheimers is usually between 8-12 years from diagnosis however, someone fit and healthy on diagnosis could live considerably longer. In one American study, people lived from between one and twenty-six years after first spotting symptoms, so the variation is enormous.
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Support Their Cultural And Spiritual Needs
Its good to be aware of the persons cultural and spiritual needs and make sure these are respected and supported. You can make use of any advance care plans or documents, friends and family input and your knowledge of the person. Its important to try and meet these needs as much as possible, they are just as important as medical care.
Alzheimer’s Disease And Dementia Life Expectancy
Researchers in 2016 estimated that there were 43.8 million people in the world with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia27 million women and 16.8 million men. These numbers are growing rapidly. In fact, it’s expected to more than double to 100 million by 2050. Here’s what you should know about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia life expectancy.
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Variables Impacting Life Expectancy Calculations
Gender. Men dont live as long with Alzheimers as women. A study of more than 500 people diagnosed with Alzheimers disease between 1987 and 1996 found that women with Alzheimers live, on average, 20% longer than men. Age. Someone diagnosed at 65 lives an average of about eight years, while someone over 90 who gets a diagnosis typically lives about three-and-a-half more years. Strength of Symptoms at Diagnosis. If someone is showing especially severe dementia-related problems at the time of diagnosis, this usually leads to an earlier death. Someone who wanders, is prone to falling, and experiences urinary incontinence , will typically not live as long. A lower mini-mental state examination score at the time of diagnosis will also not live as long. Other Health Problems. A person with a history of heart problems or asthma or diabetes, for example, will not live as long as someone without those underlying issues.
Vascular Dementia Prognosis And Life Expectancy
Vascular dementia is a progressive condition that impairs memory and mental function due to decreased blood flow to the brain. Its the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimers disease. Vascular dementia can also occur along with Alzheimers disease. Like any form of dementia, it can be difficult to watch a family member or friend lose cognitive function. Knowing what to expect can help you prepare for the journey ahead of you. Here is a look at how the disease can progress and what it means for vascular dementia prognosis and life expectancy.
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Memory Care For Dementia Patients
A person with dementia has the option to live at home for as long as is desired, provided that reliable home care is integrated into daily living. When your aging loved one chooses to age at home, consider Assisting Hands Home Care for compassionate memory care services.
Our dementia caregivers are skilled in identifying dementia symptoms and wholly supporting the individual. A dementia patient who wanders will be gently led back to safety by our caregivers. Incontinence issues are handled discreetly. We patiently calm agitated seniors, too.
As our care recipients abilities decline, we increase our assistance. Common caregiver responsibilities include help with daily personal care activities, transportation to doctors appointments or errands, grocery shopping and meal preparation and providing companionship to reduce social isolation and loneliness.
What Are The Signs That Someone With Dementia Is Near Death
It is difficult to know when a person with dementia is near death. However, there are some symptoms that may indicate the person is at the end of their life including:
- needing help with everyday activities
- eating less and swallowing difficulties
- incontinence and becoming bed bound.
When these are combined with frailty, recurrent infections and/or pressure ulcers, the person is likely to be nearing the end of their life. If the person has another life limiting condition , their condition is likely to worsen in a more predictable way.
When a person gets to within a few days or hours of dying, further changes are common. These include:
- deteriorating more quickly
- irregular breathing
- cold hands and feet.
These are part of the dying process, and its important to be aware of them so that you can help family and friends understand what is happening.
When a person with dementia is at the end of life its important to support the person to be as comfortable as possible until they die
For more information, see our page, Signs that someone is in their last days or hours.
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The 7 Stages Of Dementia
Living with and understanding Dementia stages can be difficult. Here we offer a more clearly defined picture of the whole Dementia journey. What are the signs of Dementia to look out for in a loved one? And if you do spot these signals of Dementia, what actions can you take?