My mom is 66, has been having memory and cognitive problems for 5 years, and was forced to retire from teaching 4 years ago, but was officially diagnosed with vascular dementia and alzheimer's last year. Looking at the 7 stages of alzheimer's, she is functioning right now at the end of stage 5. It has seemed to progress pretty rapidly. Is there anyway to predict how long the last 2 stages of alzheimer's would last for her? She went through stages 3 and 4 in about three years and has gone through stage 5 in about 1 year. She has had no heart attacks, but has had one very small stroke. She has had high blood pressure and high cholestrol, and is high risk for heart attack and stroke, but is on medication.
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Q: How long do stages 6 and 7 of alzheimer's last?
Answers (3)
4/19/09 3:27pm
Hi Kelly A
The Stages of Alzheimer's are a guide to the different stages and have no time frame as such. Some people, following diagnosis of Alzheimer's can survive many years with the disease, while other succumb within two years. However in the final stage of Alzheimer's it is the physical deterioration that often dictates the time frame. When people loose their ability to walk, spend more time in bed, become incontinent, have difficulty taking food and fluids then chest and general infections take their toll. It is rarely Alzheimer's that is the cause of death, it is the side effects of prolonged chronic immobility.
The National Hospice Organization Medical Guidelines Task Force 1995 found there are indicators of six month time frame to death. They were:
Low Activity of Daily Living score, being male, having cancer, a need for oxygen therapy, heart failure, shortness of breath, no more that 25% of food eaten at most meals, an unstable condition, bowel incontinence, being bedridden, over 83 years of age and being asleep most of the day.
There is a link to more information that may be helpful
Christine
4/19/09 1:13pm
I am not sure about vascular dementia. But I know that for dementia including Alzheimer's, it is a very slow process. My father-in-law is at stage 6 and it has been so long that maybe in another one or two years, he would be in stage 7, the end stage. I wrote earlier in another answer but I could not find it now, anyway, for moderate Alzheimer's, it could take 5 to 10 years for stage 5 and 6. The end stage is usually one to three years because the patient is numb and cannot move anymore so it is to shut down naturally. For stage 6, it seems to take forever for my FIL. We kept thinking he is to be paralyzed or needs wheelchair since Oct. 2007, but he can still walk with a cane and he is talking fine but he cannot have 2-way street conversations anymore and he cannot read and understand the articles. He can still understand the words themselves. He cannot understand the whole meaning on anything.
For stroke, the issue if if they can control her stroke and etc as it can easily kill someone right away. So dementia in general is slower than any major disease, but it is very hard for caregivers.
Take care,
Nina
4/19/09 1:22pm
My mom had minor stroke last April in 2008 too so she is on medications as well. But the doctor told her to be careful or she would get vascular dementia. I think in terms of blood disease or heart disease/stroke, the issue is if the doctor or the patient can control the disease with diet, medications and exercise. One could be dead from stroke or heart attack, but the medicine is so advanced that the patients can be saved often.
However, for dementia, vascular dementia or Alzheimers, it is very slow. It could take 5 to 10 years before one goes down to the end stage. Usually the patients die from heart attack or heart failure and etc while the dementia was not that bad yet. If the patient has no problem with other issues, then it takes a long time. The end stage for Alzheimer's only lasts 1 or 3 years because at the end stage the patient is bedridden and has urine incontinence and etc.
Take care,
Nina
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By Kelley A— Last Modified: 12/27/10, First Published: 04/18/09
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