The distant past may be recalled, while recent events are more difficult to remember. Advancing Alzheimer's has affected the victim's ability to comprehend where they are, the day and the time. Caregivers must give clear instructions and repeat them often. As the Alzheimer's victim's mind continues to slip away, the patient may invent words and not recognize familiar faces. The very essence of the person is vanishing.
Memory is now very poor and no one is recognizable.
Patients lose bowel and bladder control, and eventually need constant care. They become vulnerable to pneumonia, infection and other illnesses. Respiratory problems worsen, particularly when the patient becomes bedridden. This terminal stage eventually leads to death. The tendency to develop some forms of Alzheimer's disease is believed to be hereditary.