Anxiety is particularly present among those with MCI or mild dementia, compared to those with more advanced dementia, especially if they have retained insight into their condition [14, 36–38].
Anxiety seems to be more common in people with dementia who still have good insight and awareness of their condition. It can be particularly common in people with vascular or frontotemporal dementia (FTD). It is less common in people with Alzheimer's disease.
The symptoms of severe anxiety can be like those of dementia. They include restlessness and difficulties sleeping and concentrating. For more information, see our section: Conditions that may be mistaken for dementia.
Stage 4 – Moderate Cognitive Decline: People with dementia in stage 4 will have obvious difficulty with problem-solving, remembering names and details, and may withdraw socially as new situations and places are challenging to them.
Try gentle touching, soothing music, reading, or walks. Reduce noise, clutter, or the number of people in the room. Try to distract the person with a favorite snack, object, or activity. Limit the amount of caffeine the person drinks and eats.
Several medications, including lorazepam and oxazepam, can help treat anxiety in people with dementia. These drugs are examples of benzodiazepines. A person should take the medications as a doctor prescribes and speak with a healthcare professional if they experience any adverse effects.
If you aren't sure which stage of dementia you or your loved one are in right now, take an online Alzheimer's test. This can help pinpoint an individual's symptoms and stage.
Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline
People with moderately severe cognitive decline will often get confused about where they are, and they may forget important information such as their address and phone number. The emotional impact of dementia also becomes more severe at this stage.
The person in the late stage of Alzheimer's will experience: Severe impairment in memory, processing new information and recognizing time and place, Losing capacity for recognizable speech and. The loss of the ability to eat, walk and use the toilet without assistance.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
Administration: The examiner reads a list of 5 words at a rate of one per second, giving the following instructions: “This is a memory test. I am going to read a list of words that you will have to remember now and later on. Listen carefully. When I am through, tell me as many words as you can remember.
If the person's mental abilities or behaviour changes suddenly over a day or two, they may have developed a separate health problem. For example, a sudden deterioration or change may be a sign that an infection has led to delirium. Or it may suggest that someone has had a stroke.
Diseases that cause cognitive declines such as Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's, and dementia can also cause a patient to have panic attacks, disorientation, agitation, and distress.
Depression and anxiety can affect individuals across their life-course whereas dementia tends to typically affect older people. Depression and anxiety are common symptoms of dementia, but much less is known about whether depression and anxiety can actually lead to dementia.
In stage 6 of dementia, a person may start forgetting the names of close loved ones and have little memory of recent events.
Stage seven is the final stage of the dementia progression. At this stage, most people will have no ability to speak or communicate. They will require assistance with most daily activities including walking, dressing, bathing, and toileting. This stage requires 24-hour care and assistance.
Individuals with dementia may experience memory difficulties, issues with their ability to think, and trouble completing daily tasks. They may be aware of their symptoms in the early stages of dementia. However, a person may lose this awareness by the late stages of dementia.
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between the expected decline in memory and thinking that happens with age and the more serious decline of dementia. MCI may include problems with memory, language or judgment. People with MCI may be aware that their memory or mental function has "slipped."
The average life expectancy figures for the most common types of dementia are as follows: Alzheimer's disease – around eight to 10 years. Life expectancy is less if the person is diagnosed in their 80s or 90s. A few people with Alzheimer's live for longer, sometimes for 15 or even 20 years.
The most common cause of death among Alzheimer's patients is aspiration pneumonia.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease causes a type of dementia that gets worse unusually fast. More common causes of dementia, such as Alzheimer's, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia, typically progress more slowly.
I'm going to discuss five of the most basic ones here: 1) Don't tell them they are wrong about something, 2) Don't argue with them, 3) Don't ask if they remember something, 4) Don't remind them that their spouse, parent or other loved one is dead, and 5) Don't bring up topics that may upset them.
Antidepressants such as sertraline, citalopram, mirtazapine and trazodone are widely prescribed for people with dementia who develop changes in mood and behaviour. There is some evidence that they may help to reduce agitation – particularly citalopram.