 | Roselyn Schmidt, R.N.,
partnering with husband Don and son Kent, designed, own, manage and operate Chaucer Estates, Retirement and Assisted Living. Since 1967, the Schmidt's have owned five nursing homes, managing and operating the facilities as a family. In 1986, they built Andover Health Care, and in 1995 became part owners of Park West in West Wichita, until the 1998 flood, leading them to create Chaucer Estates. Most recently, the Schmidt family has opened their newest retirement and assisted living facility in Overland Park, KS, "Rose Estates". Since 1955, Rose has enjoyed a vast nursing career, raised six children, and presently serves as Admissions, and oversees marketing at Chaucer Estates. You can reach Rose at (316) 630-8111, or visit Chaucer Estates at 10550 E. 21st North, in East Wichita. |
Senior Living
2006-03-30 14:20:00
Understanding stages of Alzheimer’s
QUESTION: My mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and is progressively getting worse. I have heard somewhere that Alzheimer’s happens in stages-is this true? What can I expect...and when?
ANSWER: Alzheimer’s is a very difficult disease-both for patient and family member. It is difficult to prepare with this condition, but if you know the stages of Alzheimer’s, it makes the ordeal somewhat easier to cope with.A patient with stage one of Alzheimer’s shows no symptoms at all. A medical examination would show no signs, and the patient is considered of normal status. The next stage of Alzheimer’s would only be noticeable to the patient in his or her mind. The individual would have somewhat of a personal awareness that something is not right with their mental stability and functionality. Patients will begin to forget where they have placed everyday objects, and forget common words. Once again, this stage is usually only evident to the patient, and not to family and medical personnel.Stage three of Alzheimer’s is also considered the early period. This is when family and friends will start to notice some difference in the individual. Characteristics of this stage are most obvious in the workplace, as the patient has a harder time retaining names and has a more difficult time retaining material. The patient also might have performance issues in the workplace as well.Stage four is considered the mild stage of Alzheimer’s. A quality medical examination would be able to pinpoint the disease at this stage. A decreased memory of personal history and current events and an increased deficit in the ability to complete basic arithmetic would be prominent. Also, denial and a distressing mood would be another sign.Stage five is considered moderate Alzheimer’s disease, or early Dementia. This stage tends to become difficult for any family and friends involved with the patient. The individual will have trouble recalling details such as where they are, what day or season it is. At this point, the individual needs assistance getting by with day-to-day life.Stage six Alzheimer’s begins to become severe. The patient will have trouble recalling names of spouses and children. Their sleeping cycle will be disrupted, and incontinence will become an issue. They will need assistance in using the restroom, getting dressed and cooking. Personality changes become imminent, such as paranoia and repetitive habits. The individual will also begin to wander, and forget their surroundings.Late-stage Alzheimer’s, or stage seven, is the final stage of the disease. Patients lose the ability to control their own movement, and frequently lose speech. They lose the ability to walk, and the brain seems to have lost the control over the body. Assistance is mandatory. Though there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, knowing and preparing for all of the stages will make the process easier to deal with.
