People often live for years with dementia. While it can be difficult to think of these diseases as terminal, they do eventually lead to death. Caregivers often experience special challenges surrounding the end of life of someone with dementia in part because the disease progression is so unpredictable.
Sometimes called “late stage dementia,” end-stage dementia is the stage in which dementia symptoms become severe to the point where a patient requires help with everyday activities. The person may also have symptoms that indicate that they are near the end of life.
Progressive brain cell death will eventually cause the digestive system, lungs, and heart to fail, meaning that dementia is a terminal condition. Studies suggest that, on average, someone will live around ten years following a dementia diagnosis.
speech limited to single words or phrases that may not make sense. having a limited understanding of what is being said to them. needing help with most everyday activities. eating less and having difficulties swallowing.
Palliative care is for anyone diagnosed with a life-limiting condition, including dementia. It focuses on making a person's quality of life as good as possible by relieving discomfort or distress.
The late stage of Alzheimer's disease may last from several weeks to several years. As the disease progresses, intensive, around-the-clock care is usually required.
In order for a dementia patient to meet the hospice eligibility criteria, he or she must have a life expectancy of six months or less if the disease continues in its typical progression. For patients with dementia, it may be time to consider hospice when the patient's physical condition begins to decline.
The reason Alzheimer's is referred to as the “long goodbye” is because it is the longest goodbye you will ever have. Let me explain. When someone receives an Alzheimer's diagnosis, the grieving process starts. This begins the loss of what they thought their life would look like.
Providing the person doesn't appear to be uncomfortable or distressed, then sleeping more during the day isn't normally a reason to be worried. However, if a person is lying down in bed and asleep for most of the time they will need to be looked after to make sure they don't develop any physical health problems.
Pain is one of the most common symptoms that people with dementia experience. However, often it is poorly recognised and undertreated in dementia. The main reason for this is that, as dementia progresses, the person's ability to communicate their needs becomes more difficult.
With dementia, a person's body may continue to be physically healthy. However, dementia causes the gradual loss of thinking, remembering, and reasoning abilities, which means that people with dementia at the end of life may no longer be able to make or communicate choices about their health care.
Dementia lowers a person's life expectancy, but most dementia-related deaths are due to the underlying cause or complications resulting from dementia. Dementia complications that may increase the risk of death include malnourishment, infection, and serious injuries from falls and other accidents.
Terminal lucidity is not an official medical term, but it refers to people with dementia unexpectedly returning to a clear mental state shortly before death. Experts do not know exactly why a person may experience this lucidity, and more research on the neurological mechanisms involved is necessary.
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.
It is quite common for a person with dementia, especially in the later stages, to spend a lot of their time sleeping – both during the day and night. This can sometimes be distressing for the person's family and friends, as they may worry that something is wrong.
Tiredness and concentration – tiredness can cause people with dementia to not eat or give up partway through a meal. It can also lead to other difficulties such as problems with concentration or with co-ordination. People with dementia may have difficulties focusing on a meal all the way through.
Receiving a life-changing dementia diagnosis doesn't strip a person of their humanity or personhood. People with dementia think about the same things that any human thinks about — emotions, relationships, daily life, tasks to accomplish, and more.
Sleeping more and more is a common feature of later-stage dementia.
Also called "sundowner's syndrome," it is not a disease but a set of symptoms or dementia-related behaviors that may include difficulty sleeping, anxiety, agitation, hallucinations, pacing and disorientation.
If the person is in the early stages of dementia, it is usually a good idea to tell them about the death initially and see how they react to the news. This will give you an idea about what to do and whether to tell them again if they keep forgetting (see 'The person's past bereavements' below).
Even for those without beta-amyloid accumulation and no signs of cognitive decline, the risk for dementia was greater for men and women who were widowed. “Cognitively unimpaired, widowed older adults were particularly susceptible to Alzheimer disease clinical progression,” the study concluded.
As Alzheimer's disease progresses, it is common for incontinence of the bladder and bowels to occur, particularly in the middle and late stages.
Dementia stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline
At this point, a person may no longer be able to carry out normal activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing or bathing, or Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) without some caregiver assistance.
Often when a person with dementia asks to go home it refers to the sense of 'home' rather than home itself. 'Home' may represent memories of a time or place that was comfortable and secure and where they felt relaxed and happier. It could also be an indefinable place that may not physically exist.