My Mom is in her 6th year of dementia and in her 5th facility in that time. You all may recognize me from some of my other questions or responses to others. So I will not repeat the whole story. But in the past 6 months, (my mom is 88, going to be 89 in June) I have noticed (as have all the CNA's that take care of her) that she has slowed down her responses to almost nothing or just one word answers. She never smiles, or I should say, very rarely and I feel like she is giving me the silent treatment for putting her in the care facility, even though I know that is not it. I feel so guilty that she does not respond to me, and again, I know this is a product of the disease. I guess I am wondering what kind of phase she is in now, or if this silence and just staring is part of the progression and what part? Could she be like this for another 5 years or is this the beginning of the end? She still eats fairly well, is healthy in all other respects (meaning her vital organs) and is not thin. She is in her wheelchair full time, incontinent and has macular degeneration. I guess I just want to hear what everyone thinks and who has gone thru this too.
If she's in her 5th facility in 6 years, she may be disoriented. Moving people with dementia is usually not recommended for various reasons.
I have seen, on this site, a breakdown of the general phases of Alzheimer's Disease. I know with my loved ones, they've never progressed through the phases cut and dried. It's been a little of this and a little of that. I think since she's eating well and physically healthy at this time, that the end is probably not imminent. But I'm not a doctor so what do I know? My MIL is pretty much the same as yours except for the macular deg. She's not FT in the wheelchair, but it's around the corner, I'm afraid. Just one day at a time, you know.