Degrees of Dementia

Dementia can be divided into degrees of severity. There is no international consensus on exactly how it should be done. The World Health Organization (WHO) has made a simple division of dementia into three degrees or stages.

• Mild dementia: The person can for the most part manage in their daily life without help.
• Moderate dementia: The person cannot manage without some help from relatives. The person often cannot be left alone for long periods of time.
• Severe dementia: The person is completely dependent upon care and nurturing, and supervision is necessary.

There are various scales (tests) that help professionals determine the stage the dementia is at.

The various tests and scales divide dementia in different ways, often based on a point system. None of the various ways of dividing dementia is the "right" one, they all have their flaws and weaknesses.

The tests are structured in such way that when a person performs a task, they are awarded a number of points. However, it is not possible to establish point limits for the various degrees of dementia.