Carolyn2020, You need to find out what is causing the dementia. Dementia itself is not a disease but a number of symptoms that indicate some underlying issue. In the elderly it's typically Alzheimer's disease. In younger people it could be many different causes. There are over 70 causes of dementia, some treatable. Being diagnosed at 2 1/2, I don't know if the "normal" progression of dementia would even apply. Finding the cause of his dementia might allow you to better understand and educate yourself. There is no "one size fits all" solution.
“Stages” are a tool for helping caregivers plan for projected needs of people with cognitive loss.
If you do a google search you will find fairly broad, general categories of functioning through performing ADL tasks, using spoken language, understanding and completing new tasks.
The categories are broad because no two sufferers of dementia perform in exactly the same way. Some dementia sufferers can read print for some time after their short term memory fails. Others maintain some repetitive ADL tasks long after they stop using spoken language.
After you’ve read through some of the articles you find, ask your father’s diagnostician to give you an idea of some of the scores he achieved when he was tested. You may be able to get a sense of the direction of your father’s ability losses by using the specific information about him that you are given.
Hope you receive information that you find useful and supportive.
There are a lot of different scales that measure dementia. You need to find out what scale your loved one's doctor used to arrive at that stage.
You need to find out what is causing the dementia. Dementia itself is not a disease but a number of symptoms that indicate some underlying issue. In the elderly it's typically Alzheimer's disease. In younger people it could be many different causes. There are over 70 causes of dementia, some treatable. Being diagnosed at 2 1/2, I don't know if the "normal" progression of dementia would even apply. Finding the cause of his dementia might allow you to better understand and educate yourself. There is no "one size fits all" solution.
If you do a google search you will find fairly broad, general categories of functioning through performing ADL tasks, using spoken language, understanding and completing new tasks.
The categories are broad because no two sufferers of dementia perform in exactly the same way. Some dementia sufferers can read print for some time after their short term memory fails. Others maintain some repetitive ADL tasks long after they stop using spoken language.
After you’ve read through some of the articles you find, ask your father’s diagnostician to give you an idea of some of the scores he achieved when he was tested. You may be able to get a sense of the direction of your father’s ability losses by using the specific information about him that you are given.
Hope you receive information that you find useful and supportive.
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/stages-of-alzheimers-disease-118964.htm
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/314209