Alzheimer’s disease: symptoms, stages, and how to help
Published in recognition of World Alzheimer’s Month.
Alzheimer’s disease can change how a person remembers, communicates, and manages everyday life. Those changes can also bring questions for the people around them. What’s part of normal aging? When should you talk with a doctor? What kind of support might help?
Every September, World Alzheimer’s Month brings more attention to Alzheimer’s symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and the experiences of people living with the disease and those who care for them. World Alzheimer’s Day is observed on September 21.
Understanding Alzheimer’s won’t answer every question a family may face, but reliable information can help you know where to start.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disease that affects memory, thinking, and, over time, the ability to carry out everyday activities.
According to the National Institute on Aging, changes associated with Alzheimer’s include abnormal buildups of proteins in the brain, including amyloid plaques and tau tangles. These changes are associated with the loss of connections between neurons and other changes in brain function.
Because memory problems are one of the best-known symptoms, Alzheimer’s is sometimes used as another name for memory loss or dementia. But these terms don’t mean the same thing.
Alzheimer’s vs. dementia: What’s the difference?
Dementia isn’t one specific disease. It’s a general term for changes in memory, thinking, and other cognitive abilities that interfere with everyday life.
Different diseases can cause dementia. The National Institute of AGing reports that Alzheimer’s disease is the most common dementia diagnosis among older adults.
Other types include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Someone with Alzheimer’s disease experiences dementia, but not everyone with dementia has Alzheimer’s.
Knowing the underlying cause matters because different conditions can affect people differently and may require different approaches to treatment and care.
Causes of Alzheimer’s
There isn’t one simple answer to what causes Alzheimer’s.
Researchers have identified several biological changes associated with the disease, including the accumulation of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain. But the specific causes of Alzheimer’s aren’t fully understood.
Age is the strongest known risk factor, with risk increasing as people get older. But Alzheimer’s isn’t considered a normal part of aging.
Other factors associated with risk can include genetics, family history, and cardiovascular health. Researchers continue to study how these and other factors interact over a person’s lifetime.
Having a risk factor doesn’t mean someone will develop Alzheimer’s. And having no obvious risk factors doesn’t mean they won’t.
Is Alzheimer’s genetic?
Genetics can play a role, but developing Alzheimer’s usually isn’t as simple as inheriting the disease from a parent.
The National Institute on Aging explains that most Alzheimer’s cases don’t have a single genetic cause. Instead, multiple genes can interact with lifestyle and environmental factors to influence risk.
One of the best-known genes associated with Alzheimer’s is APOE. The APOE ε4 variant can increase a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s, but inheriting it doesn’t mean someone will develop the disease.
Much rarer genetic variants in the APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2 genes can directly cause Alzheimer’s and are associated with forms of the disease that tend to develop before age 65.
Genetic tests aren’t routinely used to diagnose or predict Alzheimer’s risk. If you’re concerned about a strong family history, a doctor or genetic counselor can help explain what that history may mean and whether genetic counseling or testing could be appropriate.
Early signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s
Everyone forgets things sometimes. Early signs of Alzheimer’s involve more than an occasional lapse in memory.
Memory problems are often among the first signs of Alzheimer’s, although early changes can also affect language, reasoning, judgment, and other thinking abilities.
Possible Alzheimer’s symptoms can include:
- Forgetting recently learned information or important dates
- Asking the same questions repeatedly
- Finding it increasingly difficult to follow a conversation
- Losing track of dates or location
- Misplacing items and having difficulty retracing steps
- Finding familiar tasks harder to complete
- Having increasing difficulty managing bills or other routine responsibilities
- Experiencing changes in judgment, mood, or social engagement
The CDC notes that memory loss that disrupts daily life isn’t a typical part of aging.
These changes can also have causes other than Alzheimer’s. If memory or thinking changes are new, persistent, or interfering with everyday activities, a qualified healthcare provider can help evaluate what may be causing them.
How is Alzheimer’s diagnosed?
An Alzheimer’s diagnosis usually draws on several sources of information.
According to the National Institute on Aging, doctors may review symptoms and medical history, assess memory and other thinking skills, order laboratory tests, and use brain imaging such as CT, MRI, or PET scans. These evaluations can also help identify other possible causes of memory or thinking problems.
Biomarkers can provide additional information about biological changes associated with Alzheimer’s. Depending on someone’s circumstances and the availability of testing, these can include measurements from cerebrospinal fluid, PET imaging, and certain blood tests. NIA explains that biomarkers are considered alongside other tests as part of a complete assessment.
Getting an accurate diagnosis can help someone and their family better understand what’s happening, discuss treatment options, and think about the support they may want now and in the future.
What are the stages of Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s stages are often described broadly as mild, moderate, and severe. These descriptions can help explain how symptoms and support needs may change, but they aren’t a precise timetable.
In mild Alzheimer’s, a person may experience increasing difficulty with memory, problem-solving, or familiar tasks while remaining able to manage many parts of everyday life.
During moderate Alzheimer’s, changes in memory and thinking can become more pronounced, and someone may need more help with everyday activities.
Severe Alzheimer’s can involve substantial changes in communication and physical function, with greater reliance on others for care. The National Institute on Aging provides a more detailed overview of how Alzheimer’s signs and support needs can change as the disease progresses.
People experience Alzheimer’s differently. How quickly symptoms change and which challenges appear can vary. Stage descriptions are best understood as a general framework, not a prediction of one person’s experience.
Medications and treatments for Alzheimer’s
According to many sources, including the Alzheimer’s Association, there is currently no single cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but treatment options to change the progression of the disease are available.
Some Alzheimer’s medications are used to manage symptoms related to memory and thinking. There are also treatments that target amyloid in the brain and are intended for certain people in the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s.
For example, the FDA has approved lecanemab and donanemab for eligible adults with Alzheimer’s disease. These treatments have specific eligibility, administration, safety, and monitoring considerations, so they aren’t appropriate for everyone.
Treatment can also extend beyond medication. Maintaining routines, supporting physical and social activity, addressing other health conditions, and adapting someone’s surroundings can all form part of an individual care plan.
A healthcare team familiar with someone’s diagnosis can explain which options may be appropriate.
Supporting someone living with Alzheimer’s
The support someone needs may change as Alzheimer’s progresses.
At one point, they might appreciate help organizing appointments or getting to places safely. Later, they may need help with meals, household tasks, personal care, or regular companionship.
Communication can change too. Allowing extra time for a response, reducing distractions, and focusing on connection can help make everyday interactions more comfortable.
People providing care may need support themselves. Instead of saying, “Let me know if you need anything,” consider making a specific offer, such as bringing dinner on Tuesday, taking care of an errand, or spending time with their loved one while they take a break.
Small, specific offers can be easier to accept.
Ways to support World Alzheimer’s Month
World Alzheimer’s Month can be a time to learn more about the disease and consider meaningful ways to support people affected by it.
You can:
- Learn the early signs. Knowing which changes may warrant medical attention can help you support someone you’re concerned about.
- Stay connected. Continue including a person with Alzheimer’s in conversations and activities in ways that work for them.
- Offer practical help. Meals, transportation, errands, or companionship can give families one less thing to manage.
- Support an Alzheimer’s fundraiser. A donation or share can help a family move toward its fundraising goal.
- Start a fundraiser. Give friends, relatives, and community members a place to come together around someone’s needs.
- Support Alzheimer’s organizations. Research, education, and family support organizations provide other ways to help.
Explore Alzheimer’s fundraisers
What a family needs after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can change over time.
Some fundraisers help with in-home care or changes that make a home safer and easier to navigate. Others may support transportation, respite care, or other needs identified by the family.
Explore fundraisers from people and families affected by Alzheimer’s. You can donate, share a fundraiser with others, or start one for someone you care about.
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Support organizations working on Alzheimer’s research and care
You can also support organizations working on Alzheimer’s research, education, and resources. Here are three organizations with GoFundMe charity pages.
- Alzheimer’s Association: Alzheimer’s Association supports Alzheimer’s and dementia research and provides education, care, and support resources for people affected by the disease.
- Cure Alzheimer’s Fund: Cure Alzheimer’s Fund supports research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer’s disease.
You can learn more about the organizations and donate through their GoFundMe charity page.
Find a way to help that works for them
There’s no single way to support a family affected by Alzheimer’s. Needs may change over time, and the person living with Alzheimer’s and those closest to them are often best placed to say what would be useful.
A fundraiser can provide one practical way for a wider community to help. It gives a family space to explain what they need while allowing others to donate or share the fundraiser.
World Alzheimer’s Month gives us a reason to learn more about the disease. The lasting opportunity is to keep listening to people living with Alzheimer’s, caregivers, and families as their needs change.
Understanding can be a form of help, too.
Sources and further reading
For information about Alzheimer’s disease, visit:
| Organization | Resource |
| National Institute on Aging (NIA) | Alzheimer’s disease information |
| National Institute on Aging (NIA) | Alzheimer’s symptoms and diagnosis |
| Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | Signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s |
| National Institute on Aging (NIA) | Alzheimer’s genetics |
This article is for general educational purposes and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions about Alzheimer’s symptoms, genetics, diagnosis, or treatment, talk with a qualified healthcare provider.