As the disease advances over time activities of daily living become more difficult and require more support. Person centred care should be provided and all care should be specifically tailored to the unique needs of the person with dementia.
At this point the following circumstances may be present:
- Near total dependence and inactivity.
Memory disturbances are serious and the physical signs and symptoms become more obvious and may include:
- becoming unaware of the time and place
- having difficulty recognising relatives and friends
- having an increasing need for assisted self-care
- having difficulty walking
- experiencing behaviour changes that may escalate and include aggression
There is no definitive timeline for dementia. Factors including the type of dementia and age of onset can play a vital role. As the disease impacts each person differently various characteristics or difficulties in daily living can be experienced at various times.
Please click the next lesson to explore global dementia statistics
