Attention span shortens, and more assistance is needed with activities. The person may forget to bathe or become careless with money. Care should focus on structure, limiting choices and frequent reminders. Stage three is disorientation and involves problems with logical thinking and finding the right words. Irritability and suspiciousness increase.
Wandering can become a problem.
Caregivers need to incorporate reassurance and communication through touch as language comprehension decreases. Stage four is dependency, which is the most difficult for caregivers and frequently the longest in duration. The patient cannot communicate and experiences increasing difficulty with eating and mobility. Caregiving becomes full-time. Recent memory loss that affects job skills 2.