The speed and pattern of progression of the disease can differ-but the condition is progressive and will get worse over time. Sadly, dementia will limit the life expectancy of the person affected; the condition has now overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death in England and Wales. The forgetfulness, confusion and communication problems of dementia are caused by increasing damage to cells in the brain.
But the brain doesn't just control memory and thought; it is also the control centre for the body. Progressive brain cell death will eventually cause the digestive system, lungs, and heart to fail, meaning that dementia is a terminal condition. Studies suggest that, on average, someone will live around ten years following a dementia diagnosis. However, this can vary significantly between individuals, some people living for more than twenty years, so it's important to try not to focus on the figures and to make the very most of the time left.
The life expectancy of someone living with dementia depends on many factors. The type of dementia, the severity of dementia at the time of diagnosis, and the individual's age, sex, and their general health and wellbeing can all impact on the time they can live with the disease. The key things that affect life expectancy include:. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Abnormal proteins cause steadily increasing brain damage. This initially affects thought and memory and remember and progressively causes failure of all body systems.
The life expectancy for an individual with Alzheimer's is usually between years from diagnosis; however, someone fit and healthy on diagnosis could live considerably longer. Share or Print this page. Overview of disease progression Early-stage Alzheimer's mild Middle-stage Alzheimer's moderate Late-stage Alzheimer's severe Overview of disease progression Did you know? Take the Course. Help at any stage Get easy access to dementia resources, community programs and services through our Community Resource Finder.
Start Your Search. The first survivor of Alzheimer's is out there, but we won't get there without you. Don't just hope for a cure. Help us find one. Quality of life is an important issue when making healthcare decisions for people with dementia.
For example, medicines are available that may delay or keep symptoms from becoming worse for a little while. If the drug has serious side effects, they may be even more likely to decide against it. When making care decisions for someone else near the end of life, consider the goals of care and weigh the benefits, risks, and side effects of the treatment.
This means that caregivers and family members may be faced with very difficult decisions about how treatments that maintain physical health, such as installing a pacemaker, fit within the care goals. Dementia often progresses slowly and unpredictably.
Depression is a problem for some family caregivers, as is fatigue , because many feel they are always on call. Family caregivers may have to cut back on work hours or leave work altogether because of their caregiving responsibilities.
It can also cause language difficulty. Mixed dementia is dementia in which multiple types of dementia-causing brain abnormalities are present. No single test can determine whether you have dementia. Diagnosis is based on a range of medical tests and your medical history. If you exhibit symptoms of dementia your doctor will perform:. The MMSE is a questionnaire for measuring cognitive impairment.
The MMSE uses a point scale and includes questions that test memory, language use and comprehension, and motor skills, among other things. A score of 24 or higher indicates normal cognitive function. While scores 23 and below indicate that you have some degree of cognitive impairment.
This is a short test for helping your doctor diagnose dementia. It involves these three steps:. This score is based on your performance in these and other tests, as well as your medical history. The scores are as follows:. Dementia progresses differently in everyone.
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