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today i asked what her last name was, she couldn't remember, a week ago she forgot how to operate the faucet and she's been incontinent for a while. the aid tells me now that about once every 3 weeks she forgets how to swallow for a bit. I have a first appointment with a geriatric doctor midweek and will bring all this up and more.

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I had the same questions last year and was obsessing between Stage 6 and Stage 7. That's just who I am...I just wanted to know and understand the progression of her cognitive decline, so I can understand your asking. I agree with the other poster though that if she is experiencing all these things, it really doesn't matter a lot if she is in Stage 6 or 7 as it is more of a continuum. Now if you are looking at hospice, I believe they need to be in stage 7 usually unless there are other medical issues as well. The stage you are describing is where my mom was for almost a year or two. Some days she seemed pretty with it, and then, somedays it was so clearly evident that she could no longer function in any independent way. Do be very specific with the doctor about what you are noticing.
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firsttimer1 May 6, 2026
My mom is stage 7c but not hospice ready. She's still eating and her weight is good so we're basically waiting for another shoe to drop. I was obsessing about the stage , seeking some comfort that the suffering was ending. Truth is there's just not that many stages left and its hard to to put a window on things. She could wake up tomorrow and not be able to get out of bed or eat. We just don't know and that's how it can happen.
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I hope the meeting with the doctor goes well.
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You can wonder all you want about what stage of dementia your mom is in. but as the saying goes...if you've seen one person with dementia, you've only seen one person with dementia, as there are no 2 people alike in their dementia journey.
Yes, there may be some similarities, but that's as far as it goes.
Don't be so focused on what stage mom might be in. Instead just make sure that your mom is getting the best care possible and that she's being kept safe.
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