INTERIM HOME CARE UTAH
How Many Stages of Dementia Are There?
Direct answer: it depends on which system you're looking at. Two are in common use, and they give different numbers.
The Simple Answer: 3
Many resources describe dementia in three broad stages — early, middle, and late. This is the version most commonly used in everyday conversation and general caregiving guides.
The Clinical Answer: 7
Doctors more often use the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), which breaks progression into seven stages, from no noticeable decline through the most advanced stage. This system maps more precisely onto how the disease actually progresses.
Why There's No Single "Correct" Number
Both systems are legitimate — they're built for different purposes. Three stages is easier to talk about and understand at a glance. Seven stages gives doctors and specialists a more granular tool for tracking progression and planning care.
Where to Get the Full Detail
We've written complete breakdowns of both approaches:
- The Family Guide to Dementia Stages — covers both systems side by side
- Timeline of Dementia Stages — the detailed 7-stage GDS walkthrough, with rough timeframes for each
How Interim Fits In
Wherever your loved one falls on either scale, we're a non-medical home care agency providing support tailored to their actual current needs.
Our 7th Week Guarantee
No long contracts. If you don't feel the difference after six weeks of care at 20 or more hours a week, your seventh week is free.
Get Started
Call us at (801) 401-3515 and tell us what you're seeing.
Read The Family Guide to Dementia Stages for the fuller picture, or learn more about our dementia care services.
Dementia, Alzheimer's & Memory Care
More from this series
Understanding Stages of Dementia Chart | Interim
A visual, side-by-side chart of the 7-stage GDS dementia progression scale, for quick reference alongside our detailed guide.
Is Dementia a Mental Illness? | Interim Home Care
No — dementia is a neurological disease, not a mental illness, even though the symptoms can look similar. Here's the real distinction and why it matters.
Distraction Techniques for Dementia Caregivers | Interim
When redirecting doesn't work, distraction often does. Practical techniques for de-escalating agitation and confusion in someone with dementia.
Late Stage Dementia: The Basics for Families | Interim
What late-stage dementia typically looks like day to day, and how it's different from earlier stages. A general overview, with links to more detail.