STAGE 6

Middle Dementia "I want to go with you"

Physical Appearance: Looks "unfinished"
* Doesn't want to change clothes
* Begins to remove "trappings" after a while
* Begins to remove supportive appliances after putting them on
* Noticeable speech/language/comprehension deficits
* May revert back to native tongue
* Difficulty retaining thought [immediate memory deficit]
* Onset of loss of peripheral vision
* Noticeable change in posture, gait and balance




Normal Behavior at this stage:


Early 6

* May get started going somewhere and lose train of thought
* Gets involved in repeating tasks from the past
* May start searching for things or people from the past



Middle stage 6

* Will experience anxiety related to loss of recognizing loved ones
* May become teary, depressed and suffer catastrophic outbursts
* No longer able to think abstractly so perceptions of reality are based upon MISSING INFORMATION.





Late Stage 6

* Comprehension is greatly diminished
* May fear being left alone
* Will have difficulty/inability to communicate pain or discomfort
* Possible development of Akathesia
* May develop a "buddy" and spend all day with him/her
* Can develop resistance to caregiving of unfamiliar persons

1991 Geriatric Resources

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