The Most Difficult Stage of Alzheimer's and How Do You Deal With The Patient?

World Alzheimer's Day is renewed with nearly 50 million people around the world suffering from dementia. Some of them have already reached the most difficult stage of Alzheimer's, with which memory loss has reached a distant limit. They do not remember their family or their closest people. They may be unable to move, unable to swallow food, or even control urination, so how can it be dealt with?

 

Latest Stages of Alzheimer's Disease

All body functions decline in the most difficult Alzheimer's stage, the last, is also known as the "severe dementia stage", during which the patient suffers:

1. Severe memory loss and non-identification of the family

Memory loss is usually very severe in the final stages of Alzheimer's disease, the patient may not be able to get to know family members or people he sees regularly, and may not recognize everyday things that were previously familiar to him.

He might even think he's living at a time in his past and might be looking for someone or something from that time, but even if a patient suffers severe memory loss, they may still be able to respond to stimuli, such as music, smell, or touch.

It is therefore important that those caring for the patient continue to care for and talk to him, even if he does not understand their speech or cannot respond.

 

2. Communication Issues

People with severe Alzheimer's are usually less able to understand what's happening around them and what they have been told, it can be difficult to communicate with them verbally, and may even lose the ability to speak gradually, repeat some words or shout from time to time.

Some patients may retain their ability to understand and express their feelings for a long time even if they can no longer speak, and generally, family members should continue to talk to the person as usual even if they think that he won't understand them.

 

3. Loss of mobility

Many Alzheimer's patients lose their ability to stand and walk gradually, affecting their ability to perform daily tasks without others helping them.

One of the first signs of this is the inability of the patient to stand from a chair or bed or maybe he starts walking unsteady or unbalanced, as he might sometimes be slow or prone to bumping into things, or even falling.

Some Alzheimer’s patients remain in a bed or chair, in which case caregivers should ask a health professional about specialized equipment suitable for the patient, and explain how to move the patient without causing problems.

 

4. Difficulty eating and weight loss

Alzheimer's patients may lose weight in the last stages of Alzheimer’s disease. They may forget how to eat or drink, or may not recognize what food is served to them. Some patients may have difficulty swallowing, and are unable to swallow food properly.

Therefore, you should provide a little food that is easy to swallow for Alzheimer's patients with these problems, and it is preferable to include nutritional supplements in their daily routine.

 

Alzheimer's and enuresis

Many patients lose control of the bladder and bowel at the most difficult stages of Alzheimer's, and therefore cannot control urination or stool, leading to urinary or stool incontinence.

This may occur all or most of the time, or occasionally from time to time, and the reason for involuntary urination in Alzheimer's patients is that the brain can no longer send or receive the signals needed to control the urinary bladder.

But this is not the only reason, there may be other reasons, such as:

• Urinary tract infection.
• Severe constipation
• Prostate problems.
• Side effects of taking some medications.
• Forget how to go to the toilet.
• Not recognizing the need to go to the toilet.

Alzheimer's Patient Actions

Alzheimer's patient's actions are not normal in the last stages of the disease, as it may change as follows:

1. Agitation at the end of the day

Some people with Alzheimer's disease may become more agitated and confused in the afternoon and the evening. They may therefore need support at this time of day.

2. Restlessness

Some Alzheimer's patients are weary of wanting to move and increase their physical activity. This restlessness may change to calm if someone helps them walk at different times throughout the day, or even do simple exercises. Even a patient's ability to shake themselves on a rocking chair can also help.

3. Aggressive Behavior

Patients may react very aggressively if they feel threatened or cannot understand what is happening around them, often acting out of fear, so try to calm and reassure them.

4. Repetition of certain behaviors

The patient may also act repetitively, such as swinging back or forward, clicking on something, or calling the same sound or word.

If he is calm, he may use this as a kind of comfort for him, but if he seems nervous, the repetition of the act may be evidence of distress and discomfort. Try to check his condition, he may feel hot or cold, may suffer some pain, feel hungry, or may need to go to the toilet or other.

 

What does an Alzheimer's patient feel?

Alzheimer's patients may be more agitated and confused, may act aggressively with others, and some patients may suffer from hallucinations and delusions like seeing, hearing, or feeling things that don't exist in reality, in which case you should try to calm and distract them from what they think they see or hear.

The doctor should also be consulted in that case to prescribe the appropriate medication for the patient to stop these hallucinations and delusions.

 

Tips for dealing with the most difficult Alzheimer's stages

Alzheimer's patients need special attention in the final stages of Alzheimer's disease. The following tips may help you deal with it:

• Help the patient move from time to time, especially if the Alzheimer's patient is unable to move.
• Appropriate nutrition to the patient by giving him small amounts of food at a time, making sure he is consuming food before giving him more, and it is preferred to consult a doctor to see if the patient needs supplements or not.
• Food is preferred to be cut into small parts, or pureed. It is also preferable for the patient to eat soft food, such as yogurt, banana, or potatoes, especially if they have difficulty swallowing food.
• Monitor the signs that may appear on the patient and indicate that he needs to go to the toilet, he may not be able to express this, and this may be reflected in his anxiety or irritability.