Life Expectancy for Someone With Alzheimer's

Issues That Affect Life Span for Someone With Alzheimer's
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about 6 years, said...

My Mother was diagnosed with Vascular dementia in 2014 and myeloma in 2015 she has got very thin, sometimes looks yellow, but recently her dementia has dramatically got worse. She is nearly 96, is not interested in reading or watching TV and does not have much of an appetite. She cannot walk hardly at all and if she tries on her own she can fall over. She is in a home now. How long do you think she has left, she still knows her own children but has difficulty with anyone else.


over 7 years, said...

My mother's brain was injured in car accident back in 1988 and she actually never became quite normal again. She was 59 years at that time. From 1995 onward her mental condition started to get worse again with typical symptoms of mild alzheimer. In 2006 she could not live at home anymore but was taken to a nursing house. From that time onward her condition has deteriorated continuosly. In the beginning she used to knit socks for my daughters, read books etc... but after a couple of years she could only enjoy herself by looking old family photos. Ability to speak disappeared gradually and then she could only eat when fed by nurses. At the moment she is all the time in bed and most of the time sleeping. She does not recognize anybody and obviously don't know where she is and what is the situation. Her body has become slim and hair is getting lost totally. I am wondering why the nurses always have told me that nothing has changed in her condition when I have been calling the nursing home once in every few weeks. I have the possibility to visit her only a couple of times a year and I have been able to see dramatic deteriorating every time. Compared with the time she used to chat, knit and read books she is now like a zombi. Why have the nurses not told me the truth. The message has always been "no particular changes in her condition". I am wondering how long she still has to suffer. She is now 87 years old.


about 8 years, said...

Hi, Irisized. There is really no way for us to answer your question, since your husband is apparently a very complex case. The symptoms you describe could be from severe Alzheimer's, from improperly controlled diabetes, and/or from a complication such as gastroparesis. I would suggest that you try putting your husband on a gastroparesis diet and see whether that helps improve his discomfort and weight loss. I would not put him through a test -- I'd just try the diet and see if it helps. (That's what I did with my husband, and he was able to eat again and put weight back on, and clearly felt much better.) Google "type 1 diabetic gastroparesis". I'd also suggest that you discuss his diabetes treatment with his specialist. I'd also suggest that you research local hospice providers and ask to have your husband evaluated under "debility unspecified" (aka "debility NOS", or "failure to thrive") coupled with the Alzheimer's and diabetes diagnoses (and perhaps others.) If he qualifies, hospice can be very helpful to him, and to you.


about 8 years, said...

my husband was diagnosed with severe brain atrophy in 2012 they felt was from high and low blood sugars from type 1 diabetes...then in 2014 they thought lewy body dementia, then a pet scan in the summer of 2014 show moderate alzheimers.... he is rapidly declining and has lost over 16 lbs in less than 6 months. He sleeps a lot and cannot dress, I have to shave him and when he pees, it never makes it in the toilet....he looks like swallowing bothers him.... I am sole caregiver and will care for him at home... but what would be the average life expentancy with someone with what I feel is end stage 6 and type 1 diabetes


almost 9 years, said...

My wife has been diagnosed with first stage or mild Altzheimers, and all articles on the matter are very helpful for me. Thanks for the articles.


about 9 years, said...

My father in law has been given 6 months to live according to his Doctors! He has been diagnosed with advanced staged dementia and Alzheimer's. I know he has these but feel that they are writing him off!! He has been going down hill for the last year! Can this really happen this fast? I need help to make his children understand what's going on


about 9 years, said...

Many people think it is only losing memory. I told someone that told me that that it breaks down the whole person and destroys the person. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. All we can do is watch in horror as our loved one is slowly but surely picked apart until only the shell is left. By that time, the tears have already been used up so death is a relief.


over 9 years, said...

Oh, Diane ... (((((hugs))))) I don't believe there is any simple answer to your question. Any sort of infection can exacerbate Alzheimer's symptoms and/or cause new ones, including incontinence, difficulty communicating, and extreme fatigue. So ... you cannot tell what stage her Alzheimer's is from what is happening right now. Once the infection has cleared up, the loved one often will improve again, and may even revert to "baseline", i.e., to the stage she was in before the infection set in. However, the big question to my mind is whether the doctors will be able to bring the infections under control. Your mother has so many very serious problems, all on top of each other, that they may be weakening her enough to the point she may not survive ... not because of the Alzheimer's itself, but because she is so frail and so sick. Can you ask the doctors, point blank, what her prognosis may be? I know it is sometimes very hard to communicate with healthcare professionals under such circumstances. I would also encourage you to ask that they consider hospice for her. Hospice can help her be more comfortable, and can also help comfort you. They may be better able to discuss the situation with you, and the alternatives for the best care for her.


over 9 years, said...

Mum 80 diagnosed alzheimers 3 yrs, in hospital 6wks, went in with acute cholocystitis, chronic diverticulitis disease. While in she's contracted pneumonia and c difficile still positive after 3 wks, totally urine incontinent and has diahrea, which I think she's bowel incontinent too. Lost all interest in everything she once loved up until 3weeks ago and now sleeps 90%of the time. Voice very quiet, and generally can't be bothered with anyone. Blank staring, and finding it hard to think of words she's trying to say, is this the final stage. Diane


over 9 years, said...

my spouse is near 82, and was diagnosed four years ago. He has less stamina and evenings are the worse. He does nothing much but sit or walk a little. He is getting thinner. I try to make sure he eats well but weight is an issue. I do almost everything around here that does not require lifting. We have been married 34 years. I did not break up his marriage to his first wife. I am his third wife. His children treat me horribly , his sons are into bad things and threaten me as much as they can. We live in the home I own. He is a good man with bad kids. Their mother could not control them when he worked two jobs for them. Our life has been good but I fear his sons. He got so he would not go near them either. If I outlive him (I am 11yrs younger then he) I think they will hurt me or try. Their wives are no better. They have robbed their mother. My husband went to the local law prior to becoming totally unable to talk well and told them what they were doing so they have been warned to leave us alone. Their whole family is afraid of them.


almost 10 years, said...

In October my Mom came to live with me. She lost her husband one year ago. She was in my sisters care. While she was in my house she was quiet but did nothing at all. She kinda just sat and I waited on her. A lodge had a vacancy with home care available (less then I thought). She is there now and they are saying she has dementia. (Could be Alzheimer's or could be related to addictive narcotics that she was put on and carelessly left on).? I began weaning down the dosage of the Ativan. She was dizzy all the time and I was constantly at the hospital with her. She finally fell and I began the reduction of the long term use of Ativan.? She was obsessed about her drugs prior to the addiction and is still obsessed. Not much diff but now has me to blame for her misery. She has times when she seems normal and other times when is obsessive controlling lacks judgement and can he forgetfull. I am finding it difficult to deal with it all. A stiff upper lip is difficult to maintain. Advice??????


almost 10 years, said...

Nothing because nothing in regard to Alzheimer's appears concrete.


about 10 years, said...

Little John: I understand what you said in re to your Mom, my Mom was abusive to me too but realize this woman had big issues. You are not her. Let go of the hurt, kiss each sunrise and realize you were lucky to survive the abuse. I have a niece and sister who are like my Mom. I had always been good to them but they are BP . I woke up one day and said no more abuse from these people. I said a prayer, to bless them and have moved on without them in my life. Find people or professionals to help you get to the real you. You sound like you understand life well. Be kind to people that are kind to you. Love your children and wife. Live so that when you pass people will say "John was a great friend, uncle, etc. Do not base who you are by this very sick lady. I never fit into their sick pot, I worked hard made my way, married a wonderful man. He is ill now but he is my hero.' Find you the real you John, the one you want to be. You can do it. A nurse


over 10 years, said...

My Wife started showing signs at age 79. She is now 86 and inan alzheimers home since I can't take care of her anymore. She seems to be in excellent health other than her memory.


over 10 years, said...

JennyB, thank you so much for all the information. It's confusing, and I can see why. First noticeable symptoms 2008, finally diagnosed 2012. I would think onset of symptoms would be more relevant than actual diagnosis. But again, there are so many factors. Man plans, AD laughs.


over 10 years, said...

Christean, hi. While I more than sympathize with your desire to know the future, there genuinely is no way to predict what might happen for any given individual. ****For one thing ... some patients are diagnosed in stage 4, others may not be diagnosed until late stage 5 or early stage 6. And, given that the range of life expectancies from date of diagnosis are anywhere from 4 to 20 years ... well ... throw a dart to pick the "probable" life expectancy for any particular person. **** I think that the studies which are the most useful in helping us try to determine how much time might be left are those that tried to identify factors which may affect mortality. (Having said that ... my husband lived twice as long as one would have expected based on such studies.) **** The median survival time after a diagnosis of Alzheimer's has been estimated at 7 - 10 years in patients diagnosed in their 60s and 70s, and 3 years in patients diagnosed in their 80s or 90s. In various studies on different patient populations, rapid decline has been linked to early age of onset, male gender, concurrent physical illness, severe aphasia, coexisting depression, extrapyramidal symptoms, gait disturbance, and vascular risk factors. *** However, the studies that attempted to identify risk factors for high mortality have not all reached the same conclusions. Part of this may be due to study design. In general, conclusions based on retrospective studies are not as reliable as those based on prospective studies. Studies that lasted many years are more reliable than those that only lasted a few years. Also, studies that analyzed data based on an age continuum tend to be more reliable than those based on an arbitrary definition of "early onset". The age cutoff of 65 years old is based on sociological factors rather than on any pathological or symptomatological basis. Also, I wouldn't trust studies that were done before the mid-2000's, unless the diagnoses were biopsy-confirmed, because our understanding of the many different types of disorders that can cause dementia have changed so much, as has our ability to diagnose them reliably. Before the mid-2000's, a cohort of "Alzheimer's patients" is likely to be heavily contaminated with Lewy body patients. **** For example, a large (641 patients) study published in 2012 concluded that survival is influenced by age, gender, and rate of decline. Disease severity at baseline, vascular risk factors, and years of education did not influence time to death. The only time-dependent factor that significantly decreased survival was worsening of functional abilities. Alzheimer's drugs were found to provide cognitive and functional benefit, but did not prolong overall survival. Average age at enrollment was 73.0 years; median survival time was 11.3 years; the cohort predominately was female (68%) and white (87%). The authors noted that median survival time in a Canadian study was 3.1 years, but the population in that study was much older (average age at enrollment 83.8 years). ---- http://alzres.com/content/4/3/16 ---- **** A large study published in 2008 found an estimated median survival time of 4.1 years for men and 4.6 years for women. Significant factors that predicted mortality included gender, age of onset, and disability. Again, these were older patients. ---- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2223023/ ---- **** A 2004 paper on a study of 521 patients concluded that median survival from initial diagnosis was 4.2 years for men and 5.7 years for women. Men had poorer survival across all age groups compared with women. Several clinical indicators, including worse cognition, significant functional impairment (such as gait disturbance), or major comorbidities (such as diabetes or heart failure), distinguished which newly diagnosed patients were likely to fare worse than average. However, the authors noted that it is not clear whether patients with these risk factors have worse survival because they have more aggressive forms of dementia, or because these risk factors signify patients whose dementia was diagnosed at a later point in its natural history. ---- http://heritagepines.com/picture/dr_larson_study.pdf ----


over 10 years, said...

My husband was diagnosed at 56 and passed away from Alzheimer's (that was the cause of death) 12 years later. He had reached the stage of being in a chair and unable to walk, but still seemed to recognize me. We had kept him home as long as possible, but he had been in a nursing home for the lasts 3 years. I was desperate for information about the progression of the disease for years, but everyone seemed to have a different experience. Some patients in the nursing home were there for many years, and others seemed to progress much faster. The aides would say he was doing great and could live there for years. I think they were trying to be encouraging. They didn't know that he had prayed for a quick death...


over 10 years, said...

I didn't realize what an old article this is, which may explain why some recent questions, including mine, haven't been addressed. Time for a separate Internet search, I guess.


over 10 years, said...

To know that my wife still has a long, long time to live and will probably out live me. I'm sorry, I'm upset and shouldn't be I guess. Any plan I might have had for my future has just been thrown out the window. I will be spending the rest of my life taking care of my wife that I do love but she won't even know me soon. I will never be able to take more than a day off and I really need a couple of weeks off. I'm upset at the Alzheimer's and I'm upset at me and feel guilty for feeling the way I do. No I can't afford to send her somewhere for a couple of weeks. There is three thousand in savings to last us the rest of our lives. My poor planning.


over 10 years, said...

I was told that my Mother was in the late stage of Alzheimer's for 12 years. She lived 20 years and passed away 2 years ago at 97. I miss her terribly!!! Lilylynne


over 10 years, said...

Those that died earlier...were they with family until family could no longer care for them? Or were they in a long term care home where they died earlier? I'd like the numbers of those that were at home as long as possible to those that were in a long term care facility? Where do I get this information?


over 10 years, said...

It's a good article, especially helpful when planning ahead for PROBABLE care costs. I'm confused, however, about whether to start the probable count at the onset of my husband Robert's symptoms (2008, age 74) or his official diagnosis of "dementia, probable Alzheimer's" (2012, age 77-1/2). He would PROBABLY have six years according to this article, but I don't know when to start the count. 2008 = 2014, OR 2012 = 2018. Anyone have any ideas?


over 10 years, said...

Hi, Challenged. There is no easy answer to your question. It has long been thought that clinical progression in early-onset Alzheimer's patients is significantly more rapid and the time-to-death shorter than in late-onset. However, not all studies have supported this finding. See, e.g.: http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/337386 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7986176 This may be due to study design factors such as study design; for example, most such studies have been relatively small since early-onset dementia is relatively uncommon. In addition: -- Many of the studies which observed faster decline/higher mortality in EOAD were conducted in the 1980s and 1990s, when far less was known about the different types of dementia that may develop. It is therefore possible (likely, based on some of the findings I've seen) that the "early onset Alzheimer's" cohorts were contaminated with relatively high proportions of patients with Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and genetic forms of dementia, all of which are known to have faster progression and lower survival than sporadic late-onset Alzheimer's. I'm not sure you can trust anything published about early-onset AD before the mid-2000's, unless the diagnoses were biopsy-confirmed. -- "Atypical onset" forms of Alzheimer's are more common in early-onset than in late-onset AD ... making it more difficult to distinguish between EOAD and other neurodegenerative dementias such as FTD and corticobasal degeneration. Since it is much more difficult to diagnose early-onset than late-onset Alzheimer's, EOAD patients are typically diagnosed later in the progression. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21576687 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20061618 -- Cognitive reserve may also affect the interpretation of the findings, since younger patients are more likely to have greater cognitive reserve than older patients. This would account both for early-onset patients being further into the course of the disease at the time of diagnosis, and for the apparent "more rapid decline" of the early-onset patients. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15888536


over 10 years, said...

There was no mention about life expectancy for those with early onset of Alzheimer's and is there a different rate of life expectancy?


almost 11 years, said...

I am hearing that so many people think that it " naming" a stage of Alzheimers has some real meaning - it doesn't. People who are in Alzheimer's have minds and bodies that are erratic and unpredictable in terms of what exact memories and skills will be present - and then gone - from day to day. We only know the end point, the terrible things that will happen along the way and that people must have supervision, even if they seem to be "better." I found the answers about the help hospice has been to be interesting - It really seems as if there are widely different hospice services in different states. Some people cannot seemingly access all the hands-on homeservices as others report. It would be a great idea - moderators - to have some sort of survey of what is available across the country.


almost 11 years, said...

Hello, Thank you for posting your question. I am sorry to hear that your mother's condition is progressing. You can find an overview of the stages of Alzheimer's at: http://www.caring.com/articles/alzheimers-stages as well as Alzheimer's Resource Center located here: http://www.caring.com/alzheimers . Please let us know if we can support you with other resources.


almost 11 years, said...

my mom is only 78 yrs old and has Alzheimers seems she goes from 1 stage to another over nite? she wanders, she knows to eat and can do that by herself she needs help bathing cleaning herself properly ect... gets very confused at times seems worse than others dates yrs present that is distance she don't know distance any more like from Houston to Dallas she thinks its down the road my question is what stage would this put her at?


about 11 years, said...

Dear Lilylynne- I called Hospice in and they said my mother definitely qualifies and they will be sending a nurse out Monday to sign her up. She said it will take about 4 hours for the nurse to go over everything with us and to evaluate my mother. I feel relief already. We were already told that they will get her a hospital bed with the revolving air mattress and a geriatric chair. We will get 5 days of free respite care every 90 days and they except the nursing home that we have taken her to before( but we had to pay $200 per day) when we've taken a vacation. It's been 2 years since we have gone anywhere. Like you said- they will pay for diapers, pads, medications and anything we need to keep her comfortable. Thank you so much for giving me that extra little push to call them. I've been saying for the last 3 months (everyday) that I need to call them in. I feel so good that they reassured me that I have done everything I can. Can I ask you if your mother was on a feeding tube? I noticed that you said you brought her home from the nursing home when she stopped eating and drinking and wondered how else she would've survived for four more years. I have heard so many stories about how some of these people have survived for so long on so little. A friend of ours put their mother in a nursing home when she became pregnant and could no longer lift her. She felt that she was close to the end of her life at that time and ended up living 12 more years in a geriatric chair. I just hate to see my mom suffer and she's beginning to eat and drink less. But thanks once again for the advice. I will keep in touch to let you know how everything works out. THE ONLY DAUGHTER


about 11 years, said...

Dear only daughter, Please call Hospice immediately! I brought my Mother home from a nursing home when she stopped eating and drinking, even for me, and they put her on Hospice. I cared for her 24/7 for the next 4 years. I lost her not quite 2 years ago, at 97. I could not have survived without Hospice. Every nurse, doctor, social worker and CNA could not have been more wonderful. They will tend to her bed sores, bathe her, supply everything you need to keep her clean and as comfortable as possible, I'm sorry to here about the bed sores. I couldn't have handled turning and changing without an air mattress and I'm sure that is why my Mother had no bed sores. Do you use pads on the mattress. Those are something else, along with diapers, that Hospice provides. I hope something I have said helps. Take care of yourself, Lynn.


about 11 years, said...

It's been 3 years since I last posted anything about my mom. It's now been 9 years that she has been living with us. She is much worse now as to be expected. People kept telling me that it's going to get harder but it's nothing like I expected. She's been in diapers for the last 7 years, has ridgity in her hands and legs. Her hands look like she is deformed and her fingernails have become worse than paper thin. Her legs we have to pry apart just to change her diaper. She twists then in a knot and we have to put a pillow between her legs at night to prevent her from getting bed sores. She has bed sores on both hips, her tail bone , shoulders and all over her arms. She no longer speaks at all- the most we get out of her is a moan now and then. She can no longer walk and only weighs about 75 lbs. for almost a year now she has had a deep cough that we for sure thought was pneumonia . The doctor said her lungs are clear . She still eats but mostly baby food, oatmeal, yogurt or mashed potatoes. I'm ready to call in Hospice to see what help they can give us. Bathing her takes 2 people because she cannot sit up and if we lay her down in the tub the first thing she does is turn her head to put it under water. Don't get me wrong- I love my mother but I can't stand seeing her live this way. Doctors keep saying that they doubt she we be here in 6 months. They told us that 4 years ago. Starting to have trouble with her drinking anything. She drinks through a straw and most of the time she just gets it in her mouth and let's it run out. Lifting her is like lifting dead weight. Wondering if anyone has gone through this and if so for how long? I get one bed sore cleared up and another will pop up. I try to move her around from the bed to sitting straped in a wheel chair for a few hours and then to a recliner- back to the wheel chair for a couple of hours then back to recliner and then back to bed. Don't know how else to avoid the bedsores. In home nursing has come in and we do have an air mattress for her bed. But it's getting to the point where no matter what we do we cannot avoid the bedsores. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


over 11 years, said...

As noted, people can be erratic in their condition. My Dad, diagnosed at age 79 is now in the final stages at age 86. He shuffles around with a vacant look and speaks in sentences of a few words. Yet every once in a while he seems shortly better. I brought him a "coffee table book" with pictures of American scenery to look at. One day I saw him staring at the text in the book instead of just the pictures. I asked him what he was reading and he replied with a short discourse on the causes of the Mexican War in 1848. That was the text he had open. A minute later he was back to non-sensical speaking. It was like for just a minute the neurons in his brain were connecting again, but it was so brief. Very strange.


over 11 years, said...

I read your very interesting bio. Until I retired I also had a full journey in the field of gerontology.


over 11 years, said...

I agree with many of the other comments. This article was not helpful. The rule of thumb is: If you have seen one Alzheimers patient, you have seen one Alzheimers patient. They are all different. My DH goes from Stage 3 to Stage 6 then back again in just hours. He can have great difficulty walking, sit quietly for 15 minutes, & get up by himself with no problems. It seems their brains are sending very confusing messages to them. The most important thing to me is to keep saying to them that you love them so you will have no regrets if.... None of us know how long we will live or what might happen in the next few minutes.


over 11 years, said...

I retired to care for mom almost 3 years ago. I have physical limitations and was told I could not be primary caregiver, so we hired in home care but cost and it still impaired my well being, forced placement into memory care.Mom is still smart, and conversant, he is troubled with falls, I cannot lift.. It broke my heart to place her. I try and see her nightly but that is hard to do, but I feel guilty not going. I see councelor which helps, I call friends . There is a disconnect between caregivers and former friends and it is hard to reconnect. I seem to do all the calling. thanks for a forum to vent, it helps Linda. Moms physical health is fine she is 98


over 11 years, said...

I know from experience all the symptoms of Alzheimer's from the beginning until the end. I wished I was God and could place my hands on my patient, who happened to be a very good friend, and rid him of this terrible disease. But alas such is not possible. You can only do your best to help the victim. My frind was a very talented surgeon, and to see his deterioration until death was very heart breaking


over 11 years, said...

We don't speak much about our sister's life expectancy in my family, yet as her primary caregiver I'm the one who is expected to explain to them: How is she doing? Isn't she worse now? What's wrong now? Have you taken her to a specialist? What do they say? It's all on my shoulders, except for my compassionate husband , and I can hardly bear to watch her deterioration from day to day. She's asked me 3 times this past year how long is this going to last and when is it going to be over. I don't ask for clarification...is she actually asking me about the end of her days? Or is she asking when "they" are going to cure her? I have no answers....only words of comfort. I'm 78 now, only 5 years younger, and also fear for my well being these days, as those who are curious have not been here for either one of us at all.


over 11 years, said...

There have been other studies on this subject that reached different conclusions. Cite the study -- give a link to the paper -- you're summarizing so we can read the details for ourselves. Give the range and standard deviation, not just the average -- as so many have noted, the average means absolutely nothing. And surely you noticed that the examples of 85-year-old men and women mentioned on page 2 don't come close to matching the general rule of thumb you present on page 1? Where did that rule of thumb come from? Is it so old that it no longer reflects current understanding?


over 11 years, said...

All of it!~


over 11 years, said...

My brother in-law has early onset Alz - he is 66 now but has had symptoms for 5-10 years. His mother lived to age 103 - she had Alz for the last 30-40 years of her life.


over 11 years, said...

In all the years of going through Alzheimer's with my Mother, I observed that this is one disease that can't be predicted in any way. What's more, the nurses and doctors, as caring or as knowledgeable as they may be, are often talking through their hats. Don't get me wrong, my Mother had some wonderful nurses and doctors. Unfortunately, they were in the minority. I was told that my Mother was in the late stage of Alzheimer's for 12 years. She passed away in April of last year at the age of 97, after more than 20 years with Alzheimer's. For any of you with a loved one in a nursing home, it is so important to go every day, if possible. Even then, things happen with falls or medication,etc., that you will never know about, until your loved one goes to the hospital. If this is someone you truly love, you have to be there for them! Sincerely, Lillylynne


over 11 years, said...

I guess all we can do is try to keep them eating as nutritious a diet as possible. I'm trying to keep Mom active, but she just wants to sit around all day. Soooo frustrating!


over 11 years, said...

I have read different articles about Pick's dementia and the life expectancy Is there a guideline or time frame with this? Sharon


over 11 years, said...

The while article since I know very littlew about Alzheimers. Thankyou.


over 11 years, said...

It gave broad perimeters for an estimated length of life for a person with AD while giving some thoughtful "what if's" of there are other health problems. It did not take into effect the quality of care or the impact of a loving, supportive environment.


over 11 years, said...

I read the article - It was informative to read that someone diagnosed in their 80's is likely going to live almost as long as someone w/o AD. BUT reading the posts, I thought I knew something about this, but not compared to all these people It's clear from all these people with first-hand experience that average life span is irrelevant - or at least not the most important issue, not compared to the quality of life, both of the individual and of the family members involved. And there are many variables affecting " predictions" such as: - the disease being diagnosed at all different phases, - possibly multiple diseases under the name of Alzheimer's, - for some there is a precipitous decline and early death - - some seem to go on doing quite well for many years - while - others lose their entire lives but exist. The people who are worrying about a lifespan shortened by other factors - I would think you want to treat people to make them comfortable, but who would want to deliberately extend life past your ability to live, to recognize family, to eat, to communicate? There's a time when meds or services which merely prolong physical life should stop. There's that old saying: "pneumonia is the old man's friend." I feel horrible for those who have relatives in the worst stages or variations of the disease, and who have no real help for themselves. We should all be working for changes in our society's attitude towards care giving as something that should fall entirely on the family.


over 11 years, said...

My mother-in-law was diagnosed with this disease 5 years ago, She had signs of it for a fer years before this time. Her dad died of this at 92 , She is 93 now and has been on Aricept and Nemanda and has just recently showing signs that it has quit working. We promised her that we wouldn't keep her alive after she no longer knew us. She is at that point now, how do we go about taken her off all meds. and let nature take it's course?


over 11 years, said...

Very helpful, my Mom was diagnosed over 12 years ago and she's still fairly healthy and active. She's a "young" 84 and loves dancing!


over 11 years, said...

NO! My sister was diagnosed with the disease when she was 46 years old. She is now 71 & has been in a vegetative state for more than 10 years. Unfortunately her daughters elected for tube feeding so she continues to exist!!!! Why can't she die????


over 12 years, said...

My mother had obvious Alzheimer's at 78 (she had ambiguous symptoms for several years previous). She has severe diabetes and has had several strokes. She's now 88 and has been in hospice for two years. She will not die. If I sound bitter, I am. She beat me severely until I was 14 and big enough to hit her back. I have always hated her. Now I'm paying for her to vegetate and NOT DIE. When will this 88-year-old waste of oxygen die?


over 12 years, said...

This article was very general and nearly useless. My Mother was diagnosed at 89, initially her cognitive skills declined rapidly. Her decline was then very slow and she lingered. Towards the end, she could not swallow water, and any liquids were thickened for her. She was blind and nearly deaf. She was totally bedridden for the last 3 1/2 years of her life. She existed for nearly 12 1/2 years from time of diagnosis to her death at 100 years 4 months and 3 weeks.


over 12 years, said...

My significant other is 65 and has been diagnosed with alzheimer's disease. He is very active. He is a retired physical educator and coach. His older sister also has alzheimers. What is the life expectancy of an early onset person?


over 12 years, said...

My mom has had it for about 20 years now. She needs help walking, is incontinent, doesn't know anyone, can't talk (except for NO!), needs help eating, stares vacantly, etc. Her body is healthy and we wonder how much longer it will be. She's been in a home for a year because it was killing Dad. She's 84. It is a horrible disease with no end in sight. This article was basically useless.


over 12 years, said...

I'm 44 now. I am working in accounting. Things seem normal to me. ...mostly. I do rely on my notes at work more than anyone else in the office but I don't make many mistakes so it is going well. Most of my 'situations' seem to be at home with my husband. Flipping through the movie channels on tv and I ask my husband if he would like to watch some movie I found. He tells me we saw it in the theater last year. "Hmm. Did I like it?" "You said you did." Or he tells me he is going to make some special dish for dinner. I tell him it sounds good. Then he tells me that I liked it the last time he made it. ...last time? But I don't say that out loud. I don't have to; he knows that I don't remember it. I keep a GPS in my car programmed with a HOME setting. I do get lost pretty easily. If I happen to take a wrong turn I can just press a button and find my way home. I wish I didn't have to drive but in this economy, I have no choice and there is no bus route. It is the 'real world' things that mess me up the most. I can read and follow directions very well... I just don't remember the everyday life things. I often wonder if this has anything to do with my decades of migraine headaches. No doctor seems to think there is any link. I think there is. Thank you all for the hugs I've been sent over the past year. I try not to think about this 'ailment' too much but it seems to pop up more often than I'd like.


almost 13 years, said...

Very enlightening. Thank you.


almost 13 years, said...

My dad was suspicisously forgeting little things at age 45, for example the loved this scrap book and would cut out things that interested him. I did enjoy reading his information, till one day .... he was cutting anything and I mean nothing that he was focused on??? My dad was an alcoholic and eventually became a diabetic and had a heart condition. My dad began his Alziemers at this age and got progressively worse. He was with us for 29 yrs. after that. It was his heart that took him, he was at the severe stage. He forgot who I was and could not walk anymore. Now my mom started to get like this... she started getting worse at age 60... forgetting names.. she has diabetes, liver failure, heart condition. I guess what I am trying to say is... it is their condition in my case what took my dad and eventuall my mom. This lessens their life expectancy.


almost 13 years, said...

I'm 56 and was diagnosed with dementia and early Alzheimers. It is extremely obvious that not only is this a terrible disease but there is no hope in sight. My faith is strong and I pray daily not for myself but my loving wife and what she will have to go through....


almost 13 years, said...

Any infection can worsen the effects of this horrendous disease. UTIs, colds, the flu can all throw patients into a downward spiral. My mom was a very healthy 89 year old woman (still working part time!) when we started noticing memory loss and severe agitation. I would describe the mood change to the movie the Excorcist-the facial expression changing at a blink of an eye-like the devil has taken hold of her. She fell ill with the flu a few months after the initial onset (that we noticed) -she was ill for four days and when the fever broke, she was more mentally diminished. I found all the celebrated drugs did nothing to stall or improve her condition. We kept mom in her home with a nurse-thank heavens my parents saved money to left their children an inheritance. We used that money for her care and we were in her home to assist at all times. About two years into this nightmare, I asked Mom's doctor how my mother would most likely die-she was on no other meds except the psych meds-healthy as a horse. He told me most likely from infiltrate pneumonia. Food would most likely be lodged in her lung because most alzheimer patient lose the ability to swollow correctly. About one year later, Mom was rushed to the emergency room, not able to breathe and in pain. The Dr's prediction was true. The only recourse that could possible prolong life was to insert a feeding tube and open her to other infections. But prior to this pneumonia, my mother was non- verbal, incontinent, had severe difficulty walking and had been sleeping more than usual weeks prior to this set back. 'The Elder physician said she would not be able to get out of bed and would have a worse quality of life. We placed my mother in hospice after painful consideration to do the right thing to end the suffering for my mom and of our faith in God and all the teaching of our religion. She never awoke and died peacefully 10 days later. I will never forget the painful events that this evil illness made us endure-watching and experiencing the unpleasantness of seeing a smart, kind women turn to a unpredictable erradic person. I was lucky to be able to care for my mother at home-I would never fault anyone who could not do the same. I think both my sibling and I still suffer from the three years we all endured this nightmare.


about 13 years, said...

Having some idea that my 85-year-old husband, still in fairly early stages, may die in less than 4 years. Since he seems generally in good health, I imagined him living longer than that.


about 13 years, said...

I have very good friend who has been diagnosed with AD. She is in her mid 80's, healthy as horse. She is really forgetting important issues. I was wondering if provocation of the issues she isn't ready to discuss at this moment, give a week or 2 to think on it. Hell no, the kids cant wait to hit the bank and pull their butts out of hock until she is now under Guardianship and I don't think that was in the budget. So if you see someone interested in runnin all that stuff, that is your broke one. It will only make things worse.


about 13 years, said...

I posted about my mom about 11 months ago. Since then, she has been in the hospital 3 times and now resides at a great assisted living home for Alzheimer's about 2 hours away from us. She has also been placed on Namenda and Aricept and has been on these for about 3 weeks. I am not seeing any improvement yet but am willing to give it another month or two. If anything, I see a backwards slide. She used to wander a great deal but recently had stopped and was willing to sit and behave for a long period of time. Now, she is back to wandering and goes into the other residents' rooms and rearranges things. She was so out of it last weekend when we went to visit and that was the first time I had seen her like that since we put her there. Drugs are not ALWAYS the answer. Grannylove2


about 13 years, said...

My mother will be gone 9 years on Feb. 22. She died in her fifth year of Alzheimer's, at age 77. My father was her caregiver and took very, very good care of her. She had not reached the stage yet where she didn't know who we were (thank God). She had been a very good cook, but had forgotten how to cook anything at all with this horrible disease. One day, she suddenly remembered out of the blue how to make a waffle in the toaster, and while my father was downstairs for literally a minute or two, she popped one into the toaster, took it out--no syrup--and stuffed the whole thing into her mouth (she had been struggling with satiation issues at the time, where we literally had to pry food out of her hands to get her to take bites and stop eating). The end result is that it blocked her airway so totally that no one--including first responders--was able to get it out quickly enough, 7 minutes passed from the time she choked to the time it was removed, she suffered anoxic brain injury from the lack of oxygen, and died 17 days later. I think all Alzheimer families struggle to just understand it all and make sure they know of everything that can happen to their loved ones. We talked to our local chapter president on a regular basis...and yet never could have imagined that something like this could and would happen. We thought we had all the possibilities laid out in our minds...and we didn't. God bless all those who suffer from this horrible, horrible disease, and all those who care for Alzheimer's loved ones. I miss my mother so much.


about 13 years, said...

My Mom developed Lewy Body Dementia and it was quick. She also had other mental complications, bi polar and paranoid schizophrenia which had to be dealt with. (Physically, she was healthy as a horse...) I had no help from siblings, and made the decision to place her in a home, because there was no way I could provide the 24/7 assistance she required. She declined and passed in 2 years, she simply stopped eating and drinking. I have alot of people ask me about her situation, as they have family members in a similiar situation. There is no way you can predict how long your loved one will survive, but I can tell you this...unless you are Mother Theresa, you need to place them in a home where they are equiped to deal with this illness and have the staff to devote constant care.


about 13 years, said...

This is a very informatice piece. I have seen people who are younger, die quite early. My aunt was diagnosed at age 87 and she is now 96. It is a miserable existence since she has also lost her sight. This is certainly not "living" despite what some might say. If there is a God, he must have one bizarre sense of humor.


over 13 years, said...

This information is helpful - I am 62 and have a tentative diagnosis. Am very worried about my husband and son. My mother is 98 and has had dementia for about 15 years - lived with my sister and I until I became unable to keep up with her care after my youngest son died unexpectedly in 2007. She had to move to a nursing home this spring when she began forgetting to use her walker and falling. I am terrified of living that long. I am still able to do self-care for the most part, but am growing more and more dependent on my husband for remembering dates, appointments, tasks that need to be done, who people in church are, etc. I was in an accident at age 40 that resulted in septic shock/AARDS and being placed on life support for a while. My doctor believes that may be why I am experiencing problems so young, as lack of oxygen to the brain can cause memory problems and as I age I cannot compensate as well. I just discovered this site today, but will use it again. Thanks, JAD


over 13 years, said...

My wife has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's over a year ago and I read as much as possible on the condition. I was very interested to read of the activity of the protein GM-CSF ( Leukine) in reversing the disease. I would like to hear more on research into treatments.


almost 14 years, said...

I'm only 43 years old and was just diagnosed with early onset dementia. I think the real answer to this article, how long... is between 8 and 20 years depending on the individual and the response to treatment. I will die not knowing who my own husband is. This is terribly frightening.


about 14 years, said...

My mother has been diagnosed for almost 8 years now. She has to be in the last stage although she can still feed herself but is starting to stop in mid-meal and someone has to finish feeding her. She still walks around very well and can use the bathroom if someone wil take her and sit her on the commode but she wears a diaper because she is just as likely to use the bathroom in her pants. She refused any medical treatment when she was in very early stage and asked that we not try to prolong her life so she is not on any medication. There are MANY times that I think Mom is still in there somewhere by little things she does or tries to say or even just a look at me or Poppa. It is just that she can't connect that person with the body she is in very well. That is what makes it the worst for me.


about 14 years, said...

My mother was diagnoised almost 6 years ago with this terible disease. I got help at first from my youngest brother(maybe one or two weekends a month) for about a year. Then my mother turned on my sister-in-law (who is very bosy) and attacked her. Now I get no help at all. In fact neither of my brothers even come and visit with her. She has lived with me and my husband for the last five years and is now in the late stage of Alzheimers. The neurologist said he gives her maybe a year to live. But then again her family doctor said she is very healthy and expects her to live a long life. I quit my job to stay home and take care of her, but honestly I don't think anyone can say when her life will end. Only God really knows. But how can her own kids (who both say they are devoted Christians) turn their back on their own mother, According to them she is already dead. They don't understand why I wont put her in a nursing home and have a life of my own. This disease has really torn my family apart.I feel that people can say they know how hard it is , but unless you stay home and take care of this person yourself(not put them in a nursing home) then you have no idea what is it to deal with this disease 24/7. Two of my brothers had medical problems when the were younger. Ond died at age 18. My mother did not put them away for someone else to take care of them. How can they turm their backs when she needs them now.


about 14 years, said...

Presently my mom is suffering from that desease, she is 72 years old. We tried to accept it but sometimes it is so hurting to see your loving mom in that condition. Our father was looking after her because we are staying far, unfortunately he passed away in 2007 and we had to look for the caregiver. Up to so far we have seen god's grace because she is still alive under the care of the caregivers though we change them now and then because of her condition. The other thing which hurts me most is that there is no cure for this disease, we have done what ever you canthink of, but nothing helped.


about 14 years, said...

I have looked after my father since his stroke in 2004 and i must say as time as gonne on he has deteriated but still with us. He is now the eldest of 18 - 6 of his brothers and sisters died as babies and another 6 died before reaching 70 but my father is now 74 so really is doing quite well considering. It does worry me as time goes on but i try my best although it can be stressful at times i am learning to live with looking after someone i care for but as long as he can still smile and enjoy life even though he cant remember the next day he still has some life. Sometimes i feel like crying about the situation but sometimes you just have to smile put on a brave face and get one with things - that way i feel i can get through whatever life has the throw at me Mark Randell


over 14 years, said...

When people read the TITLE of this article, it leads them to believe that they will be getting an answer to the question. The text of this article should state BRIEFLY, clearly and succinctly: "THERE IS NO ANSWER TO THE QUESTION." This article simply states what anyone in the trenches already knows, and it offers ZERO useful information for Newcomers. NO ONE who comes to this site has time for useless generalities... I really detest these useless articles.


almost 16 years, said...

I am a dementia practitioner and have been asked this question on many occasions. There is no real answer as there is only one person who really knows and that is our great creator. Every person is an individual as you mentioned. I have had a woman in the same end stage condition for six years and she just passed a month ago. You just don't know. The caregiver is the person who has the most stress . unfortunately there are no real answers to the expectancy in which a person with AD will have, which your article does suggest. Thank you for your article there are some very good points.


almost 16 years, said...

My heart goes out to anyone who must face this disease and watch it destroy your loved one. My mom was diagnosed in 2000, we initially thought she had had a stroke. An MRI ruled that out. She lived with me until I couldn't care for her anymore, about 2 years. I had to place her in a nursing home, where she fell and broke her hip and died with pneumonia 4 months later, in 2002. We tried all the meds that were on the market at the time and nothing seemed to even slow the Alzheimers down. The meds were all expensive and my mom (a widow) was living on a fixed income. It put a strain on our income as well. I quit my job to take care of her and we were depending on my husband's sole income. We don't regret our decision though. I hope and pray that medical science can come up with a cure, a prevention or at least a medicine that helps. My mother said, (when we were told that she had the disease) "There are lots of things that are worse than Alzheimers". I'm just glad that I don't know what that could've been. This was pure hell for all of us and I can't imagine a more cruel, helpless, disease. I love you mom and miss you every day!!


almost 16 years, said...

I hate this disease. my mother passed away 5 years ago. For 2 years it was so awful for her and myself as I was her caregiver. Had to place her in a group home. Fortunately a decent one. But did cost... Put me in the poor house. But, could not work a come home finding her on the floor. Having someone there for 10 hours a day too expensive and daycare just did not work out. Then she would be up alot at night. Just so awful. I'm still not over it. The best to all who have this disease.


over 16 years, said...

The article mentions that the general health can suffer since your loved ones may have difficulty with eating and sleeping properly. Another important factor to maintaining health is closely monitoring any medication they take. If they are reliant on insulin for diabetes, for example, neglecting to properly medicate can dramatically impact health and therefore shorten life span.