The 7 Stages of Dementia That You Need to Know

Chances are you’ve been affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, there are expected to be 78 million people worldwide living with dementia by 2030.

This complex and progressive disease affects memory, cognitive function, and behavior.

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with dementia, know someone who has dementia, or are caring for someone with dementia, it’s essential to learn everything you can about the symptoms, progression, and treatment options.

This knowledge is important for communicating with your healthcare team to create an effective care plan and providing proper care for a loved one. Understanding the tools and guidelines used by healthcare professionals can help families navigate Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

In this article, we’ll discuss the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), a standard tool used by healthcare providers to help understand, diagnose, and offer a clear framework for tracing the stages of cognitive decline.

What is The Global Deterioration Scale (GDS)?

The Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), developed by Dr. Barry Reisberg in 1982, is used to assess the progression of cognitive decline in individuals with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

It provides clear guidelines to ensure appropriate interventions and care planning are provided at each stage of dementia.

The GDS can be applied to different types of dementia, but it’s used specifically to track the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

It’s incredibly useful in helping healthcare professionals and caregivers understand where a person falls under the spectrum and what kind of care or interventions may be the most effective.

The GDS divides cognitive decline into seven stages.

7 Stages of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

Each stage of dementia corresponds to specific symptoms and challenges, which can range from no cognitive impairment to severe cognitive decline.

The seven stages provide a structured way to track disease progression, giving medical professionals insight into how far the disease has advanced and the kind of care that may be needed at each stage.

Knowing and Identifying each stage helps healthcare professionals implement appropriate interventions and treatments when they’re the most effective.

This can also help family members and caregivers anticipate symptoms, plan care, and know what to expect.

Stage 1: No Cognitive Decline (Normal Functioning)

• No noticeable symptoms of dementia
• Normal functioning
• No memory issues

Stage 2: Very Mild Cognitive Decline

• It can be the same as age-appropriate memory impairment
• Cognitive changes are not affecting daily life and may not be noticeable to others
• May forget where items are placed but can eventually recall where they’re located

Stage 3: Mild Cognitive Impairment (Minor Forgetfulness)

• May or not signal early onsite Alzheimer’s disease
• Memory lapses are noticeable to others
• Standard in the early stages of Alzheimer’s
• May or may not have a diagnosis
• Struggling with recalling recently learned information, organizing tasks, or making decisions

Stage 4: Moderate Cognitive Decline (Mild Dementia)

• Obvious signs that something is wrong
• Typically, when an individual is diagnosed with mild dementia or Alzheimer’s
• Trouble managing finances, remembering personal history, or forgetting recent events
• Difficulty with work or social situations
• Withdrawal or having difficulty with daily tasks

Stage 5: Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline (Moderate Dementia)

• Individuals begin to require extensive care
• Significant memory loss of personal history such as phone numbers, addresses, and personal history
• An individual may require assistance with most activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and grooming
• Confusion with place or time

Stage 6: Severe Cognitive Decline (Moderately Severe Dementia)

• Individuals are experiencing severe memory gaps
• May have difficulty recognizing family members
• Personality and behavioral changes
• Loss of awareness, confusion with surroundings

Stage 7: Very Severe Cognitive Decline (Severe Dementia)

• End of life
• Individuals are bedridden and entirely dependent
• Loss of motor functions
• An inability to speak or swallow
• Vulnerable to infections
• A person can be susceptible to infections, be bedridden, and need round-the-clock care

How the 7 Stages of Dementia Are Important for Families

The global deterioration scale and 7 stages of dementia are helpful tools for families caring for a loved one with dementia.

These tools can help healthcare providers and family caregivers explore treatment options and make better decisions.

This is especially helpful during the early stages, where treatment can improve quality of life, slow progression, and allow caregivers and families to explore the best care options.

This can also help families explore care options and make vital decisions, such as financial and legal planning, before the disease progresses.

Tailoring Care

Having the knowledge to anticipate the challenges of each stage as they come helps families tailor care to provide better outcomes and empower them to address and deal with needs as they come.

Resources Allocation

The proper resources can make or limit what you have access to when it comes to support and care. Do your research in advance so you can have the appropriate resources readily available when you need professional support.

Emotional Preparation

Understanding dementia progression can help family members prepare for the changes in their loved one’s memory, personality, and abilities.

Caring for a loved one with dementia involves providing daily care and making important decisions. And it’s common for family caregivers to become stressed and overwhelmed.

Protecting your mental and emotional health can make all the difference in caring for yourself and your loved one.

Medical Decision Making

Understanding each stage can assist families and their healthcare teams in determining the most effective treatment plans, including if additional care is needed, more aggressive treatment is required, or whether to switch to comfort care or hospice care.

Wrap-up

An Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis can be devastating for individuals and their families.

However, there are many helpful tools and resources that can make it easier for healthcare professionals and caregivers to navigate this complex disease.

Understanding the Global Deterioration scale and the seven stages of dementia helps healthcare providers, caregivers, and families prepare, plan, and provide the most effective Alzheimer’s and dementia treatment.

To learn more, listen to the “ The 7 Stages of Dementia That You Need to Know” episode of The Disappearing Mind, an award-winning podcast hosted by National Dementia Coach Dawn Platt that helps listeners navigate along their personal journey with dementia through exclusive and direct perspectives of people diagnosed with the disease, their caregivers and experts in the field.