Doctors usually establish a grading of illnesses in order to proceed with the treatment and prognostics of the same. The most commonly used is to establish three levels: slight, moderate and severe.
In the initial period where there is only a slight cerebral lesion the dementia is of SLIGHT INTENSITY, and the illness can remain undetected. Sometimes it can be masked by a depressive condition. Disorder in the conduct or personality can appear.
The changes in this phase are mainly of memory and failure in some of the functional activities out of the home, such as shopping (loss of control of money and quantities involved).
In the MODERATE DEMENTIA phase, the incapacity to realize many activities inside and outside the home is apparent. Problems to prepare meals, use of the washing machine, television and use every day domestic appliances can exist. The sufferer may need help dressing and washing and personal hygiene. They often seem disorientated in space and time (they don’t know the day and often where they are) although they can converse and maintain an apparently coherent conversation. On the other hand, personality changes can appear such as apathy or irritation, (they don’t want to do certain activities and are always on the defensive).
In the SEVERE DEMENTIA phase continuous dependence exists. A carer is needed 24 hours a day due to the incapacity of the sufferer to realize basic activities such as personal hygiene, dressing and feeding. Communication can be really limited due to the fact that they can only express themselves in monosyllables or short sentences.