Moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease

During 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:

• Show increasingly poor judgment and deepening confusion. Individuals lose track of where they are, the day of the week or the season. They may confuse family members or close friends with one another or mistake strangers for family.

  They may wander, possibly in search of surroundings that feel more familiar. These difficulties make it unsafe to leave those in the moderate dementia stage on their own.

• Experience even greater memory loss. People may forget details of their personal history, such as their address or phone number, or where they attended school. They repeat favorite stories or make up stories to fill gaps in memory.
• Need help with some daily activities. Assistance may be required with choosing proper clothing for the occasion or the weather and with bathing, grooming, using the bathroom and other self-care. Some individuals occasionally lose control of their bladder or bowel movements.

• Undergo significant changes in personality and behavior. It's not unusual during the moderate dementia stage for people to develop unfounded suspicions — for example, to become convinced that friends, family or professional caregivers are stealing from them or that a spouse is having an affair. Others may see or hear things that aren't really there.

  Individuals often grow restless or agitated, especially late in the day. Some people may have outbursts of aggressive physical behavior.