End Stage Alzheimer's Disease

In the case that people living with end-stage dementia that is usually caused by Alzheimer's disease develop pneumonia or fracturing a hip, 50% will die within 6 months. Just like cancer, end stage Alzheimer's disease is a terminal illness and therefore usually palliative care and comfort to the patient is advocated in place of having the patient endure invasive treatments and testing in the case that they have received poor prognosis. In most cases, a patient that has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's can live to almost 8-20 years before reaching the end stage Alzheimer's disease

Owing to the fact that a person with end stage Alzheimer's disease is mentally incapable of making any decisions, then treatment should ultimately be left to the caregiver or a loved person of the patient. End stage Alzheimer's disease is always characterized by the inability of the patient to recognize family members, perform daily tasks or lack of communication. Repeated infections and other complications are very common in people suffering from end stage Alzheimer's disease. Always, in its final phases, the patient will require a 24hrs a day and 7 days a week attention.

However, the illness usually varies from across individuals but the illness cause is definite and progresses mostly from the first stage to death for all patients of Alzheimer's. Despite the fact that there is no cure for the disease, there are treatments that can surely slow down the disease. The brain is totally destroyed in the final stages of the disease and therefore performing the normal functions becomes a dear problem. Usually, Alzheimer's disease will cause the death of the patient even if other diseases do not do so.

It is important to note that it is beyond the inability of most unprofessional caregivers to afford the needed care to a patient suffering from end stage Alzheimer's disease. Lack of communication on their needs and mostly failure to respond to questions or indicate their discomfort is the most critical stage in a person suffering from the end stage Alzheimer's disease and therefore this is always the main reason they need help with basic day- to-day living requirements.

It may be at the end stage Alzheimer's disease that outside help will be needed and this is where the patient can be placed in a facility specifically designed for the end-of-life-care. Usually, this is done for the benefit of the family members and the patient.

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