Understanding Alzheimer's Disease Stages Flashcards
7 cards from real ACC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Understanding Alzheimer's Disease Stages flashcards as text
During which stage of Alzheimer's does a person typically first lose the ability to live independently?
Answer: Moderate (middle) stage
In the moderate (middle) stage, memory and cognitive losses become severe enough that the person can no longer manage daily life without assistance.
A person with mild-stage Alzheimer's is most likely to have difficulty with which of the following?
Answer: Managing complex finances and planning
Mild-stage Alzheimer's typically affects higher-order executive functions like managing finances, planning, and problem-solving first.
What term describes the stage of Alzheimer's disease where brain changes are occurring but no symptoms are yet present?
Answer: Preclinical stage
The preclinical stage refers to the period when Alzheimer's-related brain changes (amyloid plaques, tau tangles) are developing but the person shows no cognitive symptoms.
Which behavioral change is MOST characteristic of the moderate stage of Alzheimer's disease?
Answer: Wandering, agitation, and suspiciousness
Wandering, agitation, paranoia, and suspiciousness are hallmark behavioral symptoms that emerge during the moderate stage of Alzheimer's.
In the severe (late) stage of Alzheimer's disease, which physical ability is typically lost LAST?
Answer: Ability to smile or make eye contact
Even in late-stage Alzheimer's, some individuals retain the ability to smile and make brief eye contact, which are among the last remaining communication abilities.
A caregiver notices their loved one can no longer remember the current year but still recognizes family members. Which stage does this BEST represent?
Answer: Moderate (middle)
Forgetting the year while still recognizing family members is consistent with moderate-stage Alzheimer's, where recent and factual memory declines before personal recognition.
The Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) used to stage Alzheimer's disease has how many levels?
Answer: 7
The Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), developed by Dr. Barry Reisberg, uses 7 levels to describe the stages of cognitive decline from normal aging through severe Alzheimer's.