2.1.3 Severe Dementia

People with advanced dementia, commonly referred to as late-stage dementia, frequently struggle to communicate effectively. They could experience the following symptoms:

• Memory declines, e.g., trouble recalling their lunch.
• Forgetting the names of relatives. If this happens, they might believe they are in a different place and return to being children.
• Becoming unable to walk
• Being unable to perform basic daily tasks like eating and maintaining personal hygiene.

The person will probably be bedridden by the end of this phase. The duration of the severe stage is between one and three years.
It takes a lot of care to support someone in the last stage of dementia. They may require assistance and supervision every day. For instance, patients with dementia could need help getting in and out of bed, transitioning from a bed to a chair, etc.
Caretakers must ensure that the food being consumed by the person with dementia is soft (like yogurt and applesauce) or pureed if a patient has late-stage dementia since swallowing becomes a problem.