Alzheimer's disease typically progresses slowly in three general stages — mild (early-stage), moderate (middle-stage), and severe (late-stage). Since Alzheimer's affects people in different ways, each person will experience symptoms - or progress through Alzheimer's stages - differently.
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The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease worsen over time, although the rate at which the disease progresses varies. On average, a person with Alzheimer's lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.
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Changes in the brain related to Alzheimer's begin years before any signs of the disease. This time period, which can last for years, is referred to as preclinical Alzheimer's disease.
The stages below provide an overall idea of how abilities change once symptoms appear and should only be used as a general guide. They are separated into three different categories: mild Alzheimer’s disease, moderate Alzheimer's disease and severe Alzheimer's disease. Be aware that it may be difficult to place a person with Alzheimer's in a specific stage as stages may overlap.
3 STAGES OF ALZHEIMER'S
MILD ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
(EARLY-STAGE)
In the early stages of Alzheimer's, a person may function independently. He or she may still drive, work and be part of social activities. Despite this, the person may feel as if he or she is having memory lapses, such as forgetting familiar words or the location of everyday objects.​
Friends, family or neighbors begin to notice difficulties. During a detailed medical interview, doctors may be able to detect problems in memory or concentration.
Common difficulties include:
​Problems coming up with the right word or name
1
Forgetting material that one has just read
4
2
Trouble remembering names when introduced to new people
Losing or misplacing a valuable object
5
3
Having greater difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings
Increasing trouble with planning or organizing
6
MODERATE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
(MIDDLE-STAGE)
In the early stages of Alzheimer's, a person may function independently. He or she may still drive, work and be part of social activities. Despite this, the person may feel as if he or she is having memory lapses, such as forgetting familiar words or the location of everyday objects.​
Friends, family or neighbors begin to notice difficulties. During a detailed medical interview, doctors may be able to detect problems in memory or concentration.
Common difficulties include:
Forgetfulness of events or about one's own personal history
1
2
Feeling moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situation
3
Trouble controlling bladder and bowels in some individuals
An increased risk of wandering and becoming lost
4
Being unable to recall their own address or telephone number or the high school or college from which they graduated
5
Changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping during the day and becoming restless at night
6
Confusion about where they are or what day it is. The need for help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion
7
Personality and behavioral changes, including suspicions and delusions or compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing or tissue shredding
8
SEVERE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
(LATE-STAGE)
In the final stage of this disease, individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, to carry on a conversation and, eventually, to control movement. They may still say words or phrases, but communicating pain becomes difficult. As memory and cognitive skills continue to worsen, personality changes may take place and individuals need extensive help with daily activities.
At this stage, individuals may:
Require full-time, around-the-clock assistance with daily personal care
1
Experience changes in physical abilities, including the ability to walk, sit and, eventually, swallow
4
2
Lose awareness of recent experiences as well as of their surroundings
Have increasing difficulty communicating
5
3
Require high levels of assistance with daily activities and personal care
Become vulnerable to infections, especially pneumonia
6
