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Can dementia kill? Alzheimer’s disease doesn’t just make you forgetful. It’s a serious, progressive condition which is, eventually, terminal. Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia have now overtaken heart disease to become the leading cause of death in England and Wales. The brain is responsible for more than thought, memory and understanding. It controls our bodily systems including breathing, circulation and digestion. Alzheimer’s kills cells in the brain. This damage initially leads to problems remembering things and communicating effectively. However, with time the brain damage affects the whole body, leading to death. This can be from a number of causes: Accidents and incidentsDementia can affect people’s ability to live safely and independently. Memory loss and problems with planning and performing complex tasks can increase the risk of accidents in the home and when out and about. Mobility, stability and spatial awareness can all be impaired, leading to an increased danger of falls and dangerous fractures. Food and frailtyIn the later stages of dementia, people struggle to eat well and stay healthy. They may find buying and preparing meals a challenge, go off their food and lose weight. Towards the end of the illness, they lose muscle control and may be unable to chew and swallow. Without nourishment, individuals can become frail and weak and at risk of falls, fractures and infections, which could lead to death.
Want to know more?Get our FREE definitive home care guide now! Get your guide Aspiration and infectionsThe brain controls our ability to co-ordinate swallowing and breathing. In end-stage dementia, this skill is lost. Your loved one may become dehydrated, or they may inhale food or fluids which can lead to choking and chest infections called aspiration pneumonias. These can be life-threatening. Co-existing illnessesMany people living with dementia also have other chronic conditions like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease. With Alzheimer’s, it can be more challenging to look after your general health and wellbeing, so that complications associated with these conditions can become more likely. Continence and self-careToileting and managing personal hygiene become more difficult as dementia develops. In the late stages, many people lose control of their bladder and their bowels. This increases the risk of urine infections which can cause delirium, increased confusion and falls. They can be deadly, especially in the frail elderly. Skin ulcersAlzheimer’s leads to a progressive decline in physical as well as mental function. The muscles become stiff and your loved one will need help to move and manage all aspects of daily living. This can increase the risk of pressure sores and ulcers, which can become infected, putting the individual in danger. In the late stages of Alzheimer’s, individuals lose their ability to communicate and respond to the environment. The brain damage leads to the failure of body systems including the lungs, heart and digestion. Towards the end, people often need around-the-clock care to stay comfortable. [xyz-ihs snippet=”Adsense-Native-Ad”] If a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, this blog may seem upsetting, even overwhelming. Alzheimer’s is a challenging condition from first diagnosis to the last days of life. But there can still be joy. With the right support and care in place you can help your loved one live well with dementia and to die with dignity. Find out more about our specialist dementia care.  Dr Jane Gilbert Jane has over 20 years’ experience as a health writer and TV presenter. Jane writes on a wide variety of clinical and care topics – from explaining the latest studies and research to unpacking conditions and discussing treatment options. Jane holds a MBBS degree from Imperial College, London and spent seven years working in the NHS. Alzheimer's disease can last more than a decade. See what types of behaviors are common in each of the stages as the disease progresses. By Mayo Clinic StaffAlzheimer's disease tends to develop slowly and gradually worsens over several years. Eventually, Alzheimer's disease affects most areas of your brain. Memory, thinking, judgment, language, problem-solving, personality and movement can all be affected by the disease. There are five stages associated with Alzheimer's disease: preclinical Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease, mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease and severe dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms that affect intellectual and social abilities severely enough to interfere with daily function. The five Alzheimer's stages can help you understand what might happen, but it's important to know that these stages are only rough generalizations. The disease is a continuous process. Each person has a different experience with Alzheimer's and its symptoms. Preclinical Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease begins long before any symptoms become apparent. This stage is called preclinical Alzheimer's disease, and it's usually identified only in research settings. You won't notice symptoms during this stage, nor will those around you. This stage of Alzheimer's can last for years, possibly even decades. Although you won't notice any changes, new imaging technologies can now identify deposits of a protein called amyloid-beta that is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. The ability to identify these early deposits may be especially important for clinical trials and in the future as new treatments are developed for Alzheimer's disease. Additional biomarkers — measures that can indicate an increased risk of disease — have been identified for Alzheimer's disease. These biomarkers can be used to support the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, typically after symptoms appear. Genetic tests also can tell you if you have a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, particularly early-onset Alzheimer's disease. These tests aren't recommended for everyone, but you and your doctor can discuss whether genetic testing might be beneficial for you. As with newer imaging techniques, biomarkers and genetic tests will become more important as new treatments for Alzheimer's disease are developed. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's diseasePeople with mild cognitive impairment have mild changes in their memory and thinking ability. These changes aren't significant enough to affect work or relationships yet. People with MCI may have memory lapses when it comes to information that is usually easily remembered, such as conversations, recent events or appointments. People with MCI may also have trouble judging the amount of time needed for a task, or they may have difficulty correctly judging the number or sequence of steps needed to complete a task. The ability to make sound decisions can become harder for people with MCI. Not everyone with mild cognitive impairment has Alzheimer's disease. MCI is often diagnosed based on the doctor's review of symptoms and professional judgment. But if necessary, the same procedures used to identify preclinical Alzheimer's disease can help determine whether MCI is due to Alzheimer's disease or something else. Mild dementia due to Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease is often diagnosed in the mild dementia stage, when it becomes clear to family and doctors that a person is having significant trouble with memory and thinking that impacts daily functioning. In the mild dementia stage, people may experience:
Moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's diseaseDuring the moderate dementia stage of Alzheimer's disease, people grow more confused and forgetful and begin to need more help with daily activities and self-care. People with the moderate dementia stage of Alzheimer's disease may:
Severe dementia due to Alzheimer's diseaseIn the late stage of the disease, called severe dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, mental function continues to decline, and the disease has a growing impact on movement and physical capabilities. In late stage severe dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, people generally:
Rate of progression through Alzheimer's disease stagesThe rate of progression for Alzheimer's disease varies widely. On average, people with Alzheimer's disease live between three and 11 years after diagnosis, but some survive 20 years or more. The degree of impairment at diagnosis can affect life expectancy. Untreated vascular risk factors such as hypertension are associated with a faster rate of progression of Alzheimer's disease. Pneumonia is a common cause of death because impaired swallowing allows food or beverages to enter the lungs, where an infection can begin. Other common causes of death include dehydration, malnutrition, falls and other infections. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is
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. What is senile brain degeneration?Senile also known as Senile dementia is the mental deterioration (loss of intellectual ability) that is associated with or the characteristics of old age.
How does senile dementia cause death?A person in the later stages of dementia is likely to have a weak immune system. This means they have a higher risk of getting infections, which in some cases can last for a long time. One of the most common causes of death for people with dementia is pneumonia caused by an infection.
What is the difference between dementia and senile degeneration of the brain?Senility can be an old-fashioned term for dementia, but using the two interchangeably implies that characteristics of dementia are typical of advancing age — which is not true. Dementia is an umbrella term for a group of conditions that affect the ability to think, concentrate, or remember.
What is the last stage of dementia before death?Signs of the final stages of dementia include some of the following: Being unable to move around on one's own. Being unable to speak or make oneself understood. Eating problems such as difficulty swallowing.
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End stage senile degeneration of the brain
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