Stage : Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline
Stage 5 is when your loved one is likely to need help with routine tasks, like dressing or bathing. They may require a home caregiver or to move to a memory care community. Other symptoms include:
- Confusion/forgetfulness
- Memory loss of personal details and current events
- Reduced mental acuity and problem-solving ability
Aphasia Symptoms Associated With Dementia
People with the most common types of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, usually have a mild form of aphasia.
This often involves problems finding words and can affect names, even of people they know well.
It doesn’t mean they don’t recognise the person or don’t know who they are, they just can’t access the name or get mixed up.
What Time Of Day Is Dementia Worse
When you are with someone who has Alzheimers disease, you may notice big changes in how they act in the late afternoon or early evening. Doctors call it sundowning, or sundown syndrome. Fading light seems to be the trigger. The symptoms can get worse as the night goes on and usually get better by morning.
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How quickly does this dementia progress in the elderly? Eight in 10 people with MCI will go on to develop Alzheimers disease within seven years, according to the National Institute on Aging. Since MCI can precede more severe dementia stages, its important to recognize the signs of this stage and seek medical advice.
Stage 3 dementia symptoms
- Forgetting to go to appointments or events
- Losing things and minor memory loss
- Getting lost while traveling
- Difficulty finding the right words
- Verbal repetition
- Challenges with organization and concentration
- Trouble with complex tasks and problem-solving
- Impaired bodily function
Making Sense Of ‘word Salad’
Update: This word was added in April 2017.
Word salad began as a term used in psychiatry to describe the nonsensical syntax of the mentally ill. Originally used by German-speaking and French psychiatrists, it came to English as a loan translation, or calque . Word salad is defined as a jumble of extremely incoherent speech as sometimes observed in schizophrenia, and has been used of patients suffering from other kinds of dementia, such as Alzheimers.
Like a salad encased in Jell-O, a ‘word salad’ doesn’t make a lot of sense. The individual components might be all right, but they don’t work as a coherent whole.
A more technical term for language problems resulting from brain damage or mental illness is aphasia, which means loss or impairment of the power to use or comprehend words. Paraphasia is sometimes used as a synonym of word salad: aphasia in which the patient uses wrong words or sounds in senseless combinations. Another word that is sometimes used is paragrammatism, which comes from paragram, a pun made by changing the letter the letters of a word .
Until recently, the phrase word salad was primarily used by specialists. In 1996, movie reviewers used it to describe Geoffrey Rush’s performance as the pianist David Helfgott in Shine, and though the phrase is fairly self-explanatory, it was used in its correct medical meaning, since the character struggled with mental illness.
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Wouldnt I Know If I Had A Stroke
Not necessarily. Small Mini Strokes or TIAs may only cause minor issues that see to disappear within a short period of time. They usually last 5 minutes or less. Many people will ignore this warning sign. They will chalk up their symptoms to stress or maybe not enough sleep the night before.
Looking back, I realized that Sharon was having these mini-strokes for a while. Sometimes I would be talking to her on the phone and she suddenly made no sense at all. I had no idea something this serious was happening said Kate. Kates mother in law suffers from vascular dementia. After a full-blown stroke, we really began to notice changes in her behavior. She wasnt the same person anymore. Kate told me.
Vascular dementia can run concurrently with Alzheimers Disease. This can present a whole set of issues. In fact, it is not uncommon for someone to have several different types of dementia.
Why Do Dementia Patients Talk Out Loud
Nearly all disruptive vocalizations are related to a form of brain injury most have dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease or cerebrovascular disease . In susceptible persons, vocalizations can be triggered by a variety of stimuli, including the physical environment, stress, anxiety, or caregiver behaviors .
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Stage : Very Mild Decline
The senior may notice minor memory problems or lose things around the house, although not to the point where the memory loss can easily be distinguished from normal age-related memory loss. The person will still do well on memory tests and the disease is unlikely to be detected by loved ones or physicians.
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What Other Things Help
There are various ways to help a person with svPPA. Speech therapy may help improve communication between people with svPPA and others.
Research has shown that physical exercise helps to enhance brain health and improves mood and general fitness. A balanced diet, enough sleep and limited alcohol intake are other important ways to promote good brain health. Other illnesses that affect the brain, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, should also be treated if present.
Even More Confusing For Family That Lived Far Away
In the beginning stages, someone with this disease can fool you into believing they are fine. A son calls and mom asks about his day. He talks and she listens. At the end of the conversation, the son thinks all is fine with his mother. The truth is he never took the time to really listen. On top of this, he really doesnt want to believe that something like this could happen to his mom. I mean who would, right? We all would like to believe that our loved ones are invincible. That they will not have a disease like this.
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How Later Stage Dementia Affects Concentration Planning And Organisation
The person with dementia may develop increasing difficulties with other thinking abilities, such as concentrating, planning and organising. For instance, they may only be able to carry out simple activities, or not be able to concentrate for too long.
They may be increasingly disorientated and have difficulties recognising where they are.
Conditions That Lead To Speaking A Word Salad
People who can’t help but speak in word salad have medical or psychological conditions that impair their ability to speak properly. This is part of the official word salad definition. This phrase is used to describe incoherent, nonsensical speech linked with certain health conditions, some of which are mental health disorders.
Word salad is often associated with Alzheimer’s disease and strokes, but these are not the only conditions that can lead to unintelligible speech. People with a wide variety of medical conditions are known to utter strings of words that do not convey coherent information.
- anoxic brain injury
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Respond To The Emotion Behind The Words
The better response is always to respond to the emotion behind the words. Someone who says, They stole all my jewelry! is expressing loss and indignation, whether factual or not. If you avoid the factual issues and respond to her emotions, youll avoid a fight. A nonfactual response would be, Oh Mom, Im so sorry I felt so badly for you when that happened, and then to move the conversation on to a happier topic.
When our clients ability to express themselves falters, we ignore their incorrect words or sentences and focus on their intonation and facial expressions. Their nonverbal communication displays the emotion they want to convey, which helps us discern intent and meaning.
When I respond to my clients in these two waysaccepting their version of reality and listening for the emotion and meaning hidden by their impaired vocabularythey begin to feel safe talking with me, and feeling safer means less questioning or striving to be understood.
When Is Memory Care Needed
Memory care is specialized care for seniors with dementia. It includes 24-hour supervision to prevent wandering, help with ADLs, meal services, and, often, health care as needed.
Memory care can be beneficial from the early stages of dementia through the end of life. Specially designed memory care activities, dining plans, and exercise programs cater to all seven stages of dementia in elderly loved ones.
When to seek memory care will vary depending on a seniors dementia symptoms, health status, living situation, and more. Reach out to our free, local Senior Living Advisors to discuss memory care and dementia home care options for your family.
Reisberg, B., Ferris, S.H., de Leon, M.J., and Crook, T. The global deterioration scale for assessment of primary degenerative dementia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 1982:
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Stage : Age Associated Memory Impairment
This stage features occasional lapses of memory most frequently seen in:
- Forgetting where one has placed an object
- Forgetting names that were once very familiar
Oftentimes, this mild decline in memory is merely normal age-related cognitive decline, but it can also be one of the earliest signs of degenerative dementia. At this stage, signs are still virtually undetectable through clinical testing. Concern for early onset of dementia should arise with respect to other symptoms.
Word Salad On Tv And In Other Contexts
The phrase word salad is sometimes used in a way other than its official psychological definition. It has come to be used in an informal, slang-like way to refer to what is perceived as nonsense, such as rambling, illogical or meaningless statements. The term is also sometimes used to denigrate political speeches, slogans or catchphrases.
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What Are Specific Care Needs At Each Stage
An individual may not require care assistance after the initial diagnosis of dementia, but that will change as the disease progresses and symptoms become worse. There are about 16 million unpaid caregivers of people with dementia in the United States. While many caregivers are providing daily help for family members, they also hire someone to help. There are many options of care assistance, such as in-home care, adult day care, and nursing home care. There is also financial assistance available.
Early Stage DementiaAs mentioned above, in the early stage of dementia a person can function rather independently and requires little care assistance. Simple reminders of appointments and names of people may be needed. Caregivers can also assist with coping strategies to help loved ones remain as independent as possible, such as writing out a daily to-do list and a schedule for taking medications. Safety should always be considered, and if any tasks cannot be performed safely alone, supervision and assistance should be provided. During this period of dementia, its a good idea for caregivers and loved ones to discuss the future. For example, a long-term care plan should be made and financial and legal matters put in place.
How Is Dementia Diagnosed
No single test can determine if your loved one has dementia. A physician will examine several factors to come up with a diagnosis, including a full medical history, physical exam, laboratory tests, and recognizing a pattern of loss of function and skills. With a high-level of certainty, doctors can diagnose a person with dementia, but its more challenging to define the exact type of dementia. Biomarkers can help make an accurate diagnosis of Alzheimers disease, which is included under the umbrella of dementia.
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What Are The Seven Stages Of Dementia Treatment & Nutrition
Dementia is a general term used for progressive mental or cognitive decline that has affected 47 million people globally by 2050, this number is expected to increase to an estimated 131 million people.
Out of the various diseases that have dementia as one of their characteristics, Alzheimers disease is the most common. The progression of dementia has been divided into seven stages as per the Global Deterioration Scale of primary degenerative dementia prepared by Dr. Riesberg and his team.
Stage 1
The imaging techniques such as computed tomography scan of the brain might show some changes but the patient does not exhibit any of the cognitive signs and symptoms.
Stage 2
- The patient starts forgetting words or misplacing objects this may go unnoticed by people around them.
- It should be remembered that this stage might also occur due to the normal aging process.
Stage 3
- The patient suffers from short-term memory lossforgetting what they just read and the names of new acquaintances.
- They cant make plans or organize things as earlier.
- They might frequently start misplacing and losing things.
Stage 4
Stage 5
- The patient experiences major memory disturbances such as forgetting their phone number and address.
- They may forget how to bath and face trouble while choosing and wearing clothes.
Stage 6 :
Stage 7 :
An Altered Sense Of Reality
When people with dementia say something that doesnt make sense or cannot be true, it may be sensible according to their personal sense of reality even though we know it is nonsense in our reality. The problem in this case is that they are losing rational thought and memory, which is skewing their ability to properly understand what is going on around them.
Without the ability to recall facts or events that have already happened, people experiencing dementia misinterpret what is happening in the present. Without the ability to use analysis, see cause and effect, or use comparison , they arrive at even more erroneous conclusions.
Who is Judy Cornish?
Judy Cornish is a former eldercare lawyer and the former owner of Palouse Dementia Care, a dementia care agency that provides in-home dementia care to seniors in northern Idaho. She is the author of Dementia With Dignity and The Dementia Handbook as well as the creator of the DAWN Method of dementia care. Judy believes that with a little training, families can provide excellent dementia care at home with less stress and more companionship.
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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?
Faqs About When Someone With Dementia Doesnt Make Sense
What do I do when my mother with dementia doesnt make sense?
When someone is experiencing dementia, they are losing rational thought as well as language skills. This means that they are losing the ability to understand why things happen as well as the ability to express exactly what they mean. If what she says doesnt make sense, try to read the emotion behind the statement. Respond to that emotion with understanding and assurance that you hear her and that you care. If what she says is not true, try to avoid correcting her and again, accept her reality. Ignore her incorrect words and respond to the emotion that she is expressing. If you do this, she will begin to feel safe talking with you, and feeling safer means less questioning or striving to be understood.
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Dont Correct Them Accept Their Reality
If our response is to correct them, we are asking that they accept our version of realitysomething different than their brains are telling them is true. But because they have dementia, they lack the very tools needed to consider and accept our version of the truth. Thats why they usually react with resistance and denial.
When people experiencing dementia are in error about reality or truth, its wiser to accept their version of the truth and try to work with what they believe to make them more comfortable. We are being kind when we accept their version of reality and not ask them to use cognitive tools they no longer possess.
Caregiving In The Middle Stages
According to the Alzheimers Association, this can be the most prolonged period you will face as a caregiver. The symptoms associated with the middle stage can continue for most of your loved ones later years. During this time, you will need to learn to develop patience, flexibility, and understanding as their day-to-day functions become more difficult to achieve. Your loved one might need assistance with ADLs, act out in strange ways, or grow frustrated and angry with you, which can be stressful. Be sure to take care of yourself and reach out to family, friends, and other support services to make this transition smoother.
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