How to Measure Dementia Progress

Alzheimer's Disease is the major cause of dementia in the elderly. The diagnosis is usually established by a combination of a physical examination and psychological and neurological testing. Since there are other causes of dementia, an evaluation by a professional is essential for an accurate assessment. However, as a caregiver or loved one there are ways to gauge the progress of dementia so that you will be able to report it to a psychologist or physician.

Things You'll Need

• Journal

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Instructions

How to Measure Dementia Progress

• 1

  Keep a journal so that you'll be better able to assess the progression of the disease. As soon as you suspect a problem begin to write down what the deficits may be, and how they have changed. By noting the changes in behavior and function you'll be better able to see how quickly those changes are occurring.

• 2

  Record the date and age of the patient. Note his or her ability to handle daily tasks such as grooming. Ask questions such as the person's occupation, where he or she lives, the date, or the season of the year and record his or her ability to respond accurately. Also record the person's ability to understand current events by asking the name of the president, the year and what's on television.

• 3

  Observe how your loved one functions in the world around him or her. Record information about attention span and if the person can finish thoughts, follow directions or contribute to and understand a conversation.

• 4

  Understand that there are several stages to dementia which the DSM III-R describes as impairment of both long and short term memory coupled with any of the following: impaired judgment, language dysfunction, personality changes or an impairment of abstract thinking. In the early stages of dementia you may notice some memory impairment, decline of driving skills, agitation in unfamiliar surroundings and difficulties in making decisions.

• 5

  Note if the deficits continue to the intermediate stage, which includes declines in reasoning ability, language and spatial orientation. In addition you will note that the patient has trouble with coordination and may wander away from home. At this point it is impossible to deny the dementia and many of those suffering will not be able to live independently. The late stages of dementia include an inability to recognize family and friends, incontinence, an inability to care for simple daily tasks of living. Early intervention can be helpful to some patients as medications such as Aricept and Namenda can help to slow the progression of the disease.