血管性失智症的預期壽命約為五年。這比阿茲海默症的平均預期壽命要短，主要是因為患有血管性失智症的人比起失智症本身更有可能死於中風或心臟病。而患有李氏體失智症的預期壽命約為六年。
晚期失智症的症狀和階段
晚期失智症的人最終將需要全天候的照顧和支持，包括日常生活和個人護理，如進食、洗澡和穿衣。無論患有哪種類型的失智症，其預期壽命平均都較低。
失智症的進展、症狀和階段
早期失智症的症狀
中期失智症
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失智症的進展、症狀和階段-有用的組織
失智症的進展和階段
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失智症是一種壽命有限的疾病，對於晚期失智症和預期壽命的信息可能會讓一些人感到不安和困難以接受。有關不同階段失智症的一般信息，請參閱失智症的進展和階段頁面。
在晚期失智症階段，這種疾病將對患者的生活的大多數方面產生嚴重影響。患者最終將需要全天候的照顧和支持，包括日常生活和個人護理，如進食、洗澡和穿衣。這種支持可以在家中提供，但更常見的情況是在護理院等照護設施中提供。
在這個階段，各種症狀很可能給患者帶來很大困擾，但感知異常和身體問題通常是最明顯的。在晚期，各種失智症的症狀變得非常相似。
晚期失智症的階段通常是最短的。平均而言，它持續約一到兩年。
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晚期失智症的症狀有哪些？
記憶問題
許多晚期失智症患者對最近發生的事件的記憶會有困難。他們可能經常認為自己處於早期的時期（稱為“時間錯位”）。這可能會引發一些具有挑戰性的情況，例如，他們可能會要求見一個已經去世的人。
晚期失智症患者也可能停止認識熟悉的地方、物品和人。一個人可能不認識自己在鏡子中的形象，也不認識親密的朋友或家人。這可能是因為他們只記得一個人在年輕時的樣子。
語言困難
如果一個晚期失智症患者會說多種語言，他們可能會失去在後期學習的其中一種語言。最終，他們可能只能理解童年時的語言。
一個人的口語可能最終只剩下幾個詞或完全失去。他們可能也會理解的詞語越來越少。
但是晚期失智症的患者可能仍然能夠理解手勢、面部表情和肢體語言。他們可能還會使用非語言溝通來表達他們的情感或需求。
情緒、情感和感知的變化
情緒的變化在晚期失智症中仍然存在。抑鬱和冷漠尤其常見。
妄想和幻覺（尤其是視覺和聽覺）在晚期失智症中最常見。它們不一定總是令人困擾，但可以解釋一些行為上的變化，因為患者對現實的感知被改變。
晚期失智症的患者通常對感官的回應比對詞語更多。他們可能喜歡聽歌曲。
（本文參考自阿茲海默協會）
折疊內容
Vascular dementia – around five years. This is lower than the average for Alzheimer’s mostly because someone with vascular dementia is more likely to die from a stroke or heart attack than from the dementia itself. Dementia with Lewy bodies– about six years.
The later stage of dementia
People with later-stage dementia will eventually need full-time care and support with daily living and personal care, such as eating, washing and dressing. Whatever kind of dementia a person has, their life expectancy is on average lower.
The progression, signs and stages of dementia
Early-stage signs and symptoms of dementia
The middle stage of dementia
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The progression and stages of dementia
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Dementia is a life-limiting condition and there is information about later-stage dementia and life expectancy on this page. Some people may find this upsetting and difficult to think about.
For more general information about the different stages of dementia, see The progression and stages of dementia page.
By the later stage of dementia, the condition will have a severe impact on most aspects of a person’s life. The person will eventually need full-time care and support with daily living and personal care, such as eating, washing and dressing. This support can be provided by care at home but is more often given in a care home setting.
Symptoms of all kinds are likely to cause the person considerable difficulties in this stage, but altered perception and physical problems are often the most noticeable. By the late stage, the symptoms of all types of dementia become very similar.
The later stage of dementia tends to be the shortest. On average it lasts about one to two years.
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What are the symptoms of later-stage dementia?
Memory problems
Many people with later-stage dementia will struggle with their memory of recent events. They may often think they are at an earlier period of their life (known as ‘time shifting’). This can cause challenging situations, for example, if they ask to see someone who is no longer alive.
People with dementia in the later stages may also stop recognising familiar places, objects, and people. A person may not recognise themselves in a mirror, nor a close friend or family member.
This might happen because they only remember how a person looked when they were much younger.
Language difficulties
If a person with later-stage dementia speaks more than one language, they may lose one of the languages they learned later in life. Eventually, they may only understand the language of their childhood.
A person’s spoken language may eventually be reduced to only a few words or lost altogether. They may also understand fewer words.
But people with dementia at this stage may still be able to understand gestures, facial expressions and body language. They may also use non-verbal communication to express their feelings or needs.
Changes in mood, emotions and perceptions
Changes in mood remain in the later stages of dementia. Depression and apathy are particularly common.
Delusions and hallucinations (especially of sight and hearing) are most common in the late stage of dementia. They are not always distressing but they can explain some changes in behaviour because the person’s perception of reality is altered.
People with later stage dementia often respond more to senses than words. They may like listening to songs