Understanding & Living with Alzheimer’s Disease


While a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s for yourself or a loved one is hard to hear, it is important to take the steps to become informed because what we do early-on can help guide future decisions. The Alzheimer’s Association is a great resource to become familiar with and offers topics ranging from Alzheimer’s symptoms to caregiving and medical breakthroughs. It also is one of the biggest fundraising organizations and supports the “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” and the “Longest Day” activities.

Experts say it is important to remember you are not alone. Over six million people in the US are living with Alzheimer’s and millions more know someone with the disease. Although everyone experiences the disease in their own unique way, understanding the major stages of the disease helps families navigate this unexpected journey.

Alzheimer’s 5 distinct stages include: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI); Mild; Moderate; Severe; and Very Severe. Symptoms can vary from person to person but the various stages of Alzheimer’s disease have some common characteristics and it helps to be prepared.

To help negate the feeling of being a complete victim of your circumstances, studies show there are lifestyle changes you can make in the early stages to help improve brain health. These include exercising and eating a healthy diet as well as avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. This is also the time to think about future financial, medical and legal decisions.

The early stages are additionally the time to build a support network and to stay engaged with friends and family. Get in the habits of using memory aids such as sticky notes or digital aids for your appointments and activities. If you find you are getting confused paying bills, keeping track of medications or having a hard time making appointments, ask for help.

Be sure to keep up with all your doctor appointments including adding Alzheimer's specialists to your healthcare team. Ask your doctors about local organizations and services that may be helpful to you and your family now and later.

At MorningStar of Littleton, we provide senior living Littleton, CO families can count on. Our community offers 65 assisted living suites across three-stories, with a choice of spacious suites in studio and one-and-two-bedroom options. For seniors with dementia-related diseases, we provide a level of Alzheimers care that is all-encompassing. Contact us to learn more, and to set up a tour to see our community firsthand.


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